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Arts & Culture
The Front Festival
Helmed by women and queer creative collective Future Front, this Labor Day weekend festival celebrates the end-of-summer holiday with this Austinite’s favorite activities: appreciating local music, film, and art, and doing a lot of swimming. The main event launches Friday, when the Contemporary Austin-Laguna Gloria hosts over a dozen independent Texan filmmakers for a movie showcase; on Saturday, Cheer Up Charlies welcomes musical acts Pam Reyes, Never, promqueen, p1nkstar, and more. Thursday and Sunday bookend the event with, respectively, night and day parties at the LINE Hotel pool, featuring DJ sets and pop-up art exhibits to boot. – Carys AndersonAug. 29-Sept. 1Various locations -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
Thee Gay Agenda: Best in Show
Bark, bark; meow, meow; honk, honk: These are the sounds you can expect from the newest Thee Gay Agenda variety show. Running for two nights only – with night No. 1 being a masks-on performance – witness the animal-style antics of your favorite queer performers. Beau Elliot, Mase Kerwick, Kelsey Oliver, Sinful Purchase, Khattie Q, and Irielle Wesley bring their furry & fabulous selves, while Emmet Hunker MCs and Schi the God spins as the night’s DJ. Grab a ticket and see who’ll be crowned Best in Show! – James ScottAug. 29-30 -
Arts
Visual Arts
"Native America: In Translation"
One thing I’ve loved about newer theatre or museums is the space given for land acknowledgement – statements about the ancestral roots of the space being used. Space that was not always ours, but taken. The Blanton’s latest exhibit tackles that question, but pushes the boundaries. It’s not just about what Native America was, but what it can be. Curator and lauded artist Wendy Red Star has assembled nine other Native artists to create a rich exploration of what life in America is today. Shown through a variety of mediums, something is guaranteed to resonate with the audience. Whether it’s the photos, paintings, videos, or multimedia works is up to you. – Cat McCarreyAug. 4-Jan.5 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Art & Parks Tour
This sweet opportunity comes to us from the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Pease Park Conservancy, and Ride Bikes Austin – so we know it's a damned good thing indeed. Take the self-guided Art & Parks Tour to explore the best of what Downtown Austin art and parks have to offer through this selection of curated murals, artworks, and green spaces. You can sign up anytime, so click that URL and get ready to learn the most vibrantly visual parts of your city soon – live and in person. -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Carros y Cultura: Lowriding Legacies in Texas”
Thanks to Seventies funk band War, the word “lowrider” often calls to mind the unforgettable sax riff of the band’s 1975 No. 1 single. But lowrider can mean a snazzy customized car with hydraulics or a person who works on such a vehicle, and the culture around these cars has strengthened Mexican American communities in the Southwest since the Forties. Learn more about them at this exhibit featuring an interactive touchscreen mural, cars and bikes on display, and stories about the people who make lowriding a community. A member reception takes place May 18. – Kat McNevinsThrough Sept. 2 -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Straight Like That” Exhibit
Art is communal, stronger when visions are shared. ICOSA already showcases the connections between Austin artists on the regular, but with “Straight Like That” the web grows to include the Houston-based Throughline Collective. With a selection curated by Mueni Loko Rudd, a Kenyan American curator and preservationist dedicated to expanding the cultural landscape of art, visitors to ICOSA’s latest show can witness a vibrant exhibit of Texas-based artists pushing the boundaries of what is expected from art. The pieces vary in form and theme. But all evoke new insights into what Texas art can be. – Cat McCarreyOpening recption: Sat., Aug. 17; runs through Sept. 17 -
Arts
Dance
Ballet Austin: Classes
Learn your way to physical grace with a dance class at Ballet Austin. There are so many varieties to choose among – ballet, barre, contemporary dance, hip-hop, tap, cardio dance fitness, Pilates, and more – and all taught by professional instructors. See website for details.$3-7 per class. -
Arts
Theatre
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Carole King is one of those once-in-a-generation songwriters, the kind who absolutely deserves not just a jukebox musical, but this type of theatrical biography on stage. A lot of folks know her seminal album Tapestry and her collaboration with longtime platonic soulmate James Taylor. But she had a thriving songwriting career beforehand. Beautiful tracks her stunning girl group anthems (“One Fine Day” or “Loco-Motion,” anyone?) and her fraught relationships with male collaborators. Can they keep this “natural woman” down? Of course not, but watch her rise while grooving to King’s victorious anthems.July 31-Sept. 8 -
Arts
Comedy
Cap City Comedy Club
That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details! -
Arts
Theatre
CATS
Look, grown-ass adults wearing whiskers and singing about a Jellicle Ball is always going to be a little goofy, but that willingness to play make-believe is why we go to the theatre. Nobody expects strict realism, which is why the 2019 film was such an unmitigated disaster, and why Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sung musical, based on T.S. Eliot’s 1939 poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, is far better suited for the stage at Georgetown’s historic Palace Theatre. Grizabella’s ballad “Memories” may be the song that puts people in seats, but don’t sleep on the magical “Mr. Mistoffelees.” – Kimberley JonesThrough Sept. 8 -
Arts
Comedy
East Austin Comedy Club
Founded by comedians Raza Jafri and Andre Ricks, this club that operates out of Tiger Den on the Eastside is the city's only BIPOC-owned comedy venue. -
Arts
Comedy
Fallout Comedy
This hotbed of local performance is carrying on even more than usual, with an eclectic mix of live, mind-rocking comedy from some of Austin's best, all week long. Hey! The place is our cover story, as reported by Valerie Lopez! And, srsly, who would ever disagree with the sentiment of Monday night's Fuck This Week show? Check the website for details. -
Arts
Comedy
Garage
Picture this: You are giggling and guffawing, perhaps even rolling upon the ground. How could this be your reality, Reader? By attending improvised comedy show Garage, where women and non-binary comics create on-the-spot comedy from audience song suggestions. These peeps will make your cheeks ache from smiling after an hour of their high-octane hilarity hosted by local stand-ups – and all for like eight bucks pre-show, and $10 at the door. Like, sheesh. What more could you want? Maybe, like, an in-venue bar or something? Oh, wait: Fallout Theater freakin’ has that, too. No more excuses, Reader. Seize your ROFL reality. – James ScottThursdays. Through Oct. 3 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Infinite Scroll: A Summer Group Exhibition
Hot off the heels of the delightful “Encounters in the Garden” by Josias Figueirido, Kevin Ivester has curated another summer banger of a show at Ivester Contemporary. This time, the gallery features a whole slew of Texas artists, co-curated by Tiffany K. Smith, united under the theme “Infinite Scroll.” That refers to the ubiquitous web design technique that automatically generates more content that continuously loads as the user scrolls down a page. “This feature, while facilitating easy access to endless information, has also led to significant consequences such as doom scrolling, information overload, and a shift in our attention from our surroundings to our screens,” the exhibition text reads. “The participating artists have responded to this call with thought-provoking work that reflects on topics ranging from our online personas and the way we treat one another to endless calls to action and the consistent flood of information, and comments on the new developments of AI-generated artwork.” The show, which opens Sat., July 20, and runs till the end of August, promises to be a uniquely local answer to a global problem. – Lina FisherThrough Aug. 31 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Laguna Gloria
This local treasure of a venue, run by those Contemporary Austin folks who also bring us the Jones Center shows Downtown, is all about the outdoors – which is perfect for these trickily navigated times of ours, n'est-ce pas? Recommended: Stop by and breathe in the air, enjoy the lawns and gardens and the many examples of world-class sculpture arrayed across the property, and (as Frankie used to say) r-e-l-a-x.Thu.-Fri., 9am-noon; Sat.-Sun., 9am-3pm -
Arts
Visual Arts
Landmarks: Self-Guided Walking Tour
Use your smartphone to access self-guided tours of the outdoor public art sited by UT's award-winning Landmarks program any time you feel like it. BONUS: There's also a free, docent-led tour starting at Marc Quinn's "Spiral of the Galaxy" (1501 Red River) on Sun., Jan. 8, 11am. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Martha's Contemporary: Hokey Pokey + What You See Is What You Get
Here's a two-person exhibition that features painting, installation, videography, and sculpture by Moll Brau and Wes Thompson. It's a deep dive into a pool of loneliness, triumph, and rebirth. It's a forest of mazes where fireflies provide the light. It's a show of creations from a pair of terrific, hardworking local artists and you don't want to miss it. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Museum of Illusions
Enter the fascinating world of illusions in this new venue that boasts a stunning array of intriguing visual, sensory, and educational experiences among new, unexplored optical wonderments.$20-24.11010 Domain #100 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Old Bakery Gallery: Fantastical Flora
This multimedia exhibition is a comprehensive exploration of the beauty of botanical forms, expressed realistically and in the abstract, featuring the work of local artist Francine Funke.Opening reception: Sat., Jan. 20, 1-4pm. Free. -
Arts
Theatre
Pass Over
Two young men, trapped in the treadmill of life, waiting for something destined to come. Such is the seemingly uneventful plot of Pass Over. But unlike frequent comparison point Waiting for Godot, the companion Pass Over’s men are waiting for is Death itself. Main characters Moses and Kitch spend the play on a street corner. The days are long, slow, and full of yearning. Surreal while all too real. Set in the current day, but mixed with ancient yet ever-present histories of slavery and violence, Pass Over reminds the viewer that for some, a peaceful day can be a gift. First show’s on Aug. 15. – Cat McCarreyThrough Aug. 31 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Rachel Paxton and Will Beger
Yard Dog Gallery has long been a champion of outsider/folk art – and fine art with similar sensibilities – ever since its days on South Congress. Now at the Canopy Complex, it neighbors newer Austin galleries that are shaping our art scene just as Yard Dog has done for decades, like Ivester Contemporary, ICOSA Gallery, and SAGE Studios. Going for a visit is never a bad idea, especially to catch Yard Dog’s August show, featuring painters Rachel Paxton and Will Beger. Massachusetts-based Paxton creates “western-themed mid-century modern-inspired neon sign paintings… [that] are part documentary, part fiction.” Arizona-based Beger “paints modern Southwest artworks that feature a mix of mid-century and landscape elements with an emphasis on desert minimal design,” writes the gallery. Open hours are Thursday and Friday 12-3pm and Saturday 12-4pm, or by appointment. – Lina FisherThrough August 31 -
Arts
Comedy
South Austin Comedy Club
South Austin’s first dedicated comedy venue is spearheaded by local comics Martin Henn, Andre Ricks, and Raza Jafri, and brings top-notch acts to South Austin every Wednesday through Saturday. Note: The upcoming comics – including nationally touring acts, local sweethearts, and everyone in between – will be listed on Instagram each night.Wed.-Sat., 7:30pm -
Arts
Visual Arts
Stephen L. Clark Gallery: Kate Breakey
This exhibition of new work by Kate Breakey showcases hand-colored photography of the natural world, particularly of Texan and Australian landscapes, animals, and insects. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Summer Salon Series II
Forty-four artists present their work on Cloud Tree’s walls in this series: an exciting array of mediums and subject matter to delight the senses. This marks the gallery’s second summer cycle of emerging artists, whose exhibits Cloud Tree says “emphasize the diversity of expression and medium.” Check the names included and you may see a familiar one: our very own Lina Fisher, who takes a break from breaking news to showcase her amazing paintings. Share a complimentary mixed drink or soda with these talented creators this Saturday, Aug. 10, at the opening reception. – James ScottOpening reception: Sat., Aug. 10; runs through Aug. 31 -
Arts
Theatre
Sunny Days
Making puppets “mature” is no new phenomenon (see: Avenue Q, or that terrible Melissa McCarthy movie, The Happytime Murders – sorry for reminding you of that film’s existence). But most content struggles to move beyond “Hey, isn’t it sooo funny that puppets are having sex and swearing?” It takes a special work to make the puppets an essential part of the theme, but with Sunny Days, Reina Hardy moves past novelty and toward intense introspection. Named for the iconic Sesame Street theme song, Hardy takes the gentle, educational approach of that classic property to explain her not-so-fictional world ravaged by political unrest and climate change. The puppets are an integral part of the story. They’re needed for this unmissable call to action told with hilarity, heartbreak, and hand puppets. – Cat McCarreyThrough Sept. 15 -
Arts
Comedy
The Creek and the Cave
This snazzy spot for local and national stand-up acts has shows almost every night of the week. -
Arts
Comedy
The Grizzly
Its latest installment went overboard with heavy-handed dialogue about the Importance of Cooking, but season one of The Bear remains an enthralling, realistic – and for many restaurant veterans, traumatizing – look into the chaos of the kitchen. Lex Okeke takes inspiration from the FX dramedy for her directorial debut The Grizzly, a monthlong show about the stress and intensity of improv performance. The cast’s real-time thought processes make up the production, highlighting the messiness of early-stage collaboration – when performers are still perfecting their comedic recipe, if you will. Let’s just hope Okeke learns from Carmy and doesn’t go for a star. – Carys AndersonAug. 16 through Sept. 14 -
Arts
Comedy
The Hideout
The diverse lineup of hilarious, always surprising improv shows continues, with Pgraph and Maestro and the Big Bash and more, for the most unexpected delights of in-person entertainment.$10 and up. -
Arts
Theatre
The Three Musketeers
Reenter the world of “all for one and one for all” with this collaboration between the Archive Theater and Austin Scottish Rite Theater. It may have been a while since you’ve seen any of the movie adaptations of Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale, but witnessing the swashbuckling adventures of D’Artagnan and his trio of mentors live onstage is a much better way to revisit these fearless Frenchmen. Archive specializes in taking classic stories from page to stage. In their hands, the musketeers are sure to be spellbinding. Besides, any excuse to see a show at the gorgeous and historic Scottish Rite is a good one. – Cat McCarreyThursdays-Sundays. Through Sept. 22 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Wyld Gallery
This is Ray Donley's gallery of art by Native Americans, located in that company of artistic glory called Canopy and resplendent with creations from the original people of our struggling country.Call for appointment
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