IOWA CITY — Hancher is introducing a new multidisciplinary festival — Infinite Dream — from Oct. 11 to 21, at various venues around Iowa City.

Through the lens of the arts, the festival explores the complex fabric of the American Story: grand accomplishments, disruptive failures and potential for excellence.

Events will feature performances, presentations, and discussions from artists and thinkers from around the world as well as University of Iowa students, faculty and staff. The festival’s theme serves as a reference point for the performances and conversations — a loose frame for artists and patrons to consider as they share and experience transformative work.

Festival passes are $94.76 for adults and $40.17 for students and youths, available at hancher.uiowa.edu/infinitedream

Among the presentations are:

Reconstructing: Who & How Are We Together? A Conversation on Process with Jillian Walker and Emma Orme of The TEAM, featuring moderator Johanna Kasimow, 5 p.m. Oct. 11 at Riverside Theatre, 119 E. College St., Iowa City.

The Sphinx Virtuosi, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11, Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. This self-conducted chamber orchestra is the flagship performing entity of the Sphinx Organization, the leading social justice nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts.

Herein Lies the Truth: A Work-In-Progress Conversation, 5 p.m. Oct. 12, UI Stanley Museum of Art lobby, 160 W. Burlington St., Iowa City. Featuring Aaron Pang, Christopher-Rasheem McMillan, Tisa Bryant and Adam Knight.

John Irving, best-selling author and Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate, is returning to Iowa City for a sold-out with Lan Samantha Chang on Oct. 13 at Hancher Auditorium. His appearance is part of Hancher's new "Infinite Dream" multidisciplinary festival Oct. 11 to 21, 2023, bringing concerts and conversations to various Iowa City venues. (Nina Cochran) — John Irving, bestselling author and Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate, is returning to Iowa City for a sold-out with Lan Samantha Chang on Oct. 13 at Hancher Auditorium. His appearance is part of Hancher's new "Infinite Dream" multidisciplinary festival Oct. 11 to 21, 2023, bringing concerts and conversations to various Iowa City venues. (Nina Cochran)

John Irving in conversation with Lan Samantha Chang: SOLD OUT: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Hancher Auditorium, 141 E. Park Rd., Iowa City. John Irving, a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, is one of the foremost writers of the 20th and 21st centuries. His novels include “The Cider House Rules,” “The World According to Garp” and most recently, “The Last Chairlift.” He was also inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992. Irving returns to Iowa City to discuss his life and creative process, alongside Iowa Writers' Workshop director Lan Samantha Chang.

Werner Herzog: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15, Englert Theatre. Legendary film director Werner Herzog will receive FilmScene’s Cinema Savant award and appear in conversation to discuss his life in film. Herzog will visit as part of a five-city U.S. book tour (New York, Boston, Iowa City, Los Angeles, San Francisco), and will read from his soon-to-be-released autobiography, “Every Man for Himself and God Against All: A Memoir.” His appearance also is part of FilmScene’s Refocus Film Festival and the Iowa City Book Festival.

N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) by Andrew Schneider: Oct. 18 to 21, Hancher Auditorium. Iowa premiere of as immersive performance installation by theater, video, and arts technologist Andrew Schneider. Drawing inspiration from visions of the Milky Way and Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” viewers will walk through a room, secluded in darkness punctuated by 4,000 reactive points of light and 496-channel sound design. Schneider and Jecca Barry will be in conversation at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 in Hancher’s Stanley Cafe.

For the full lineup: go to hancher.uiowa.edu/infinitedream