EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts has developed a passionate cult following since its inception. Art enthusiasts, Figment devotees, and guests who appreciate the intersection of visual arts, culinary creativity, and live performance have made this winter festival a can’t-miss event on the Disney calendar. Unlike Food & Wine, with its massive crowds, or Flower & Garden, with its Instagram-driven topiary tourism, the Festival of the Arts attracts a specific type of guest who genuinely values the artistic experiences Disney curates during this limited-time celebration.Disney just announced that a fan-favorite experience will be relocated for the 2026 festival, which may confuse guests familiar with past events. This often happens during the International Flower & Garden Festival when topiaries are moved, leaving longtime visitors surprised by the changes. Similar frustrations are expected for regulars of the Festival of the Arts, who have established expectations about experience locations.The change involves the Visual Art in Performance experience, which showcases artists creating work live in front of festival guests. This interactive element enables visitors to watch talented artists transform blank canvases into finished pieces using a range of media and techniques. It’s one of those experiences that sets the Festival of the Arts apart from other EPCOT festivals, as it emphasizes the creative process rather than just displaying finished products. Watching art being created in real time connects guests to the work in ways that simply viewing completed pieces in galleries cannot achieve.For years, Visual Art in Performance has been located at World Showcase Plaza, the open area between the main EPCOT entrance and World Showcase Lagoon. That location made it easily accessible as guests entered World Showcase, creating a natural first stop for many visitors beginning their festival experience. People knew where to find it, had incorporated it into their touring patterns, and could reliably plan their days around catching specific artists at work during scheduled performance times.Starting with the 2026 Festival of the Arts, which runs from January 16 to February 23, Visual Art in Performance will be moving to CommuniCore Hall Plaza. This relocation represents a significant shift in how Disney is utilizing that space and signals that CommuniCore Hall is increasingly becoming EPCOT’s festival center.The CommuniCore Hall EvolutionWhen CommuniCore Hall first opened, guest reactions ranged from disappointed to confused. The space looked like a glorified event venue that lacked color, creativity, and the kind of distinctive theming that makes Disney spaces memorable. It felt bland and generic, more convention center than theme park pavilion. Critics questioned why Disney had spent years on EPCOT’s transformation only to deliver what appeared to be an uninspired multipurpose hall that could exist anywhere.As time has passed and multiple festivals have utilized the space, perceptions have begun to shift. CommuniCore Hall’s apparent weakness, its blank slate neutrality, has proven to be its strength. The space can transform dramatically depending on which festival is taking place, adapting its look and feel to match seasonal themes in ways that permanently themed spaces cannot.Credit: DisneyWe’ve watched CommuniCore Hall evolve with each festival that utilizes it. The flexibility that initially felt like a lack of imagination now appears as intentional design, allowing the space to serve different purposes throughout the year. For Festival of the Arts specifically, this presents exciting possibilities. If any EPCOT festival can make CommuniCore Hall visually spectacular, it’s the one dedicated to celebrating artistic expression.What This Means for Festival of the ArtsThe 2026 Festival of the Arts promises over 200 new pieces of artwork, including pieces that will be created in front of guests during the festival. That’s a substantial increase in artistic content, suggesting Disney is expanding rather than simply maintaining the festival’s scope. Moving Visual Art in Performance to CommuniCore Hall Plaza potentially provides the experience with more space, better infrastructure to support artists during their work, and the opportunity to create a more immersive environment around the live art creation process.The big question is whether Disney will transform CommuniCore Hall Plaza into the vibrant, colorful celebration that Festival of the Arts deserves. This festival is about bold artistic expression, creativity, and visual impact. It needs an environment that matches that energy. If Disney treats this relocation as an opportunity to make Visual Art in Performance even more spectacular than it was at World Showcase Plaza, with enhanced staging, improved guest viewing areas, and festival-specific theming that transforms CommuniCore Hall Plaza into an artistic showcase, this change could significantly elevate the experience.Credit: DisneyWe’re hopeful that CommuniCore Hall will burst with color and creativity when Festival of the Arts transforms it. This is Disney’s opportunity to demonstrate that this controversial new space can become something genuinely special when utilized effectively. Festival of the Arts provides the perfect testing ground because the festival itself is inherently visual and design-focused. If CommuniCore Hall looks bland and uninspired during a festival celebrating artistic expression, that represents a massive missed opportunity.Other Offerings During the FestivalVisual Art in Performance is just one component of what makes the Festival of the Arts special. The festival features creative food offerings at outdoor kitchens throughout World Showcase, with dishes designed to be both visually appealing and delicious. Chefs treat plates like canvases, creating presentations that guests photograph before eating. These aren’t standard festival portions of generic appetizers. They’re thoughtfully composed dishes that reflect culinary artistry.Credit: Erica Lauren Inside the Magic The Broadway Concert Series brings Disney on Broadway performers to the America Gardens Theatre for multiple daily shows. These concerts feature songs from Disney theatrical productions performed by artists who have appeared in the actual Broadway shows. For theater fans, it’s a chance to experience Broadway-caliber performances without traveling to New York or paying Broadway ticket prices.The artwork displayed throughout the festival encompasses paintings, sculptures, photography, and mixed-media pieces from artists whose work spans traditional Disney character portraits to abstract interpretations of Disney themes. The variety ensures that there’s something to appeal to different artistic tastes, rather than forcing everyone to appreciate a single aesthetic approach.The Figment presence throughout the Festival of the Arts has become a defining characteristic. The purple dragon serves as an unofficial mascot for the festival, appearing on merchandise, in food presentations, and as decorative elements. For Figment fans, and there are many, this festival provides more opportunities to celebrate their favorite EPCOT character than any other time of year.Credit: Disney Parks BlogNavigating the ChangeFor guests attending the 2026 Festival of the Arts, especially those who have visited in previous years, the key is adjusting expectations and touring plans to accommodate Visual Art in Performance’s new location. Don’t head to World Showcase Plaza expecting to find it there. Plan your day around visiting CommuniCore Hall Plaza to experience the live art creation in its new home.The 2026 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts runs from January 16 through February 23, giving guests over five weeks to experience the relocated Visual Art in Performance along with everything else the festival offers. Whether this change ultimately improves the guest experience or simply creates confusion remains to be seen, but one thing is sure: CommuniCore Hall is becoming EPCOT’s festival hub, and how Disney utilizes that space will define these seasonal celebrations for years to come.The post Disney Announces Change to 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts appeared first on Inside the Magic.