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Arts
Visual Arts
Affordable Art Fair
Couldn’t fuel your private jet for Art Basel this year? Can’t afford even a painting of a private jet? That’s where you may be wrong, as the Affordable Art Fair may be the way to get an original work on your walls. The traveling international celebration of visual media always highlights local artists at each stop, so you have your chance to purchase paintings, prints, and more curated by Austin galleries and institutions like Art From the Streets and Canopy Collective alongside London’s Quantum Contemporary Art, Lumas from Berlin, and Paris’ Galerie Duret. – Richard WhittakerMay 15-18 -
Arts
Dance
DiverseSpace Youth Dance and Violet Crown Players Present Confluence
With Confluence, Violet Crown Players and DSYDT have crafted a piece exploring “human connection.” Led by local choreographer Toni Bravo, with guest choreography by Berlin’s Ortrun Stanzel and Amsterdam’s Michael Jahoda, Confluence shows the power of dance throughout every experience. DiverseSpace Dance seeks to provide dance opportunities for all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Their multigenerational cast will show the power of that access, set to live music by Victoria Schwarz. Watch the threads of connection, woven through physical and social movements. – Cat McCarreyMay 15-18 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Friends Fair
Gallery supergroup FOG started in 2023 with Jill Schroeder from grayDUCK Gallery, Phillip Niemeyer of Northern-Southern, Kevin Ivester of Ivester Contemporary, Jill McLennon of McLennon Pen Co. Gallery, and the team of Ricky Morales and Meredith Williams at Martha’s Contemporary. Their shows, many highlighting local artists, open up a world of contemporary art to Austin. Enter: the Friends Fair, which runs from this Thursday, May 15, through Saturday, May 17. The fair covers two floors of the Loren Hotel by Lady Bird Lake, with 12 rooms dedicated to displays. FOG’s fair isn’t just about collecting. It’s about Austin coming together to spotlight how revolutionary this grassroots art scene is. - Cat McCarreyMay 15-17 -
Arts
Comedy
Nikki Glaser
Nikki Glaser killed at the roasts of Rob Lowe, Bruce Willis, and Alec Baldwin years before her set at Tom Brady’s 2024 lampoon went viral, and rightfully so: Her put-downs punch up, critiquing celebrities’ biggest blunders – from Alec Baldwin’s voicemail to Ann Coulter’s everything – without swiping at low-hanging fruit. Plus, she throws it back to herself plenty, too. Also a seasoned podcast host and actor, the stand-up’s Alive and Unwell solo tour rolls into Austin with a 7 and 9:30pm show at the Moody. – Carys AndersonThu., May 15 -
Arts
Comedy
Ramy Youssef: Love Beam 7000
Ramy Youssef has been adding hyphens to his career description for years now. The writer-director-actor-producer best known for his namesake Hulu series returns to the stage for a mixture of storytelling and stand-up. His previous stand-up special was called More Feelings, and judging by the name of this new routine, he’s harnessed positive emotions to share with his crowds. Or he’s being facetious. And why 7,000? You’ll have to get a seat at the show to find out. – James RenovitchThu., May 15 -
Arts
Books
Torch Wildfire Reading Series: Kendra Allen
Nonprofit Torch Literary Arts publishes and promotes the creative writing of Black women both emerging and experienced. This week’s subject of their new BookWoman-partnered reading series definitely falls into the latter category, with Dallas-born author Kendra Allen already having two published tomes to tout. Her most recent is poetry/prose hybrid memoir Fruit Punch, which treks through her Aughts-era coming-of-age and all the hard truths she’s learned. Thursday’s event promises a reading, Q&A, booksigning, and conversations around what generational trauma does to a body. – James ScottThu., May 15
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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
Theatre
Austin Shakespeare presents Julius Caesar
Friends, Texans, Austinites, lend your ears and eyes to Shakespeare’s classic coup, as tortured and brutal as tactical Brutus can offer. Or shall I say bodacious Brutus, since Austin Shakespeare’s production of Julius Caesar offers a tantalizing twist – Caesar’s inner circle is mostly women, adding what might be seen as righteous rage to raw revolution. This Caesar’s served with a cunning corporate aesthetic. No need to clutch your pearls though. There’s still the mired malaise of what best serves the collective good. Grab your friends and family, and “get-tu” Zilker for this free show. – Cat McCarreyThrough May 25 -
Community
Events
“Roots Unveiled: Exploring the Chinese Experience”
Among the many anti-civil rights bills creeping their way through the Texas Legislature is Senate Bill 17, which would bar Chinese and many other Asian citizens from buying land here. Denounced by detractors as racist and reminiscent of 19th-century laws targeting Asian immigrants, its 2023 origins, along with growing anti-Asian sentiment after the pandemic, inspired Houston artist Jane Xu to found the multi-city Asian American Art & Culture Initiative and initiate this multidisciplinary exhibit. Curated by renowned international independent curator Sylvia XuHua Zhan, it brings in-depth research and archives along with work from a wide range of artists to offer a look at the rich history of Chinese Americans in Texas. Opening reception is Sunday, May 18, noon. – Kat McNevinsThrough August 31; opening reception, May 18 -
Arts
Visual Arts
“The Everyman”
I’ve been having a lot of “girl who’s going to be okay” moments as I reconnect with my earnest, optimistic side, so I’m excited for “The Everyman,” a group show curated by visual artist and musician Lisa Alley that celebrates the beauty in the small things – from commonplace occurrences to the working-class heroes that give this exhibit its name. Alley – who plays in local acts the Well, Mugger, and TV’s Daniel – shows her paintings alongside a slew of familiar names, including Parquet Courts’ A. Savage, Never’s Emily No Good, and photographer Pooneh Ghana. Everyone has the ability to create something exceptional, this Bolm Arts project assures us. – Carys AndersonThrough June 7 -
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
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
Dirty Gold Theatre Presents: Venus in Fur
A seductive reconsidering of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s original novella, David Ive’s play gets reimagined once more by local theatre company Dirty Gold, who describe their work as “dynamic, provocative, character-based theatre that comments on contemporary society and our shared humanity.” What comments can they generate via Venus’ discussion of sexual power plays? You’ll just have to step into the metaphorical boudoir to find out. Special bulletin for Austin’s theatre pros: Wednesday, May 14, is Industry Night with promised ticket discounts both for presale and door tix. – James ScottThrough May 17 -
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
Theatre
FEAST.
Shrewd Productions brings playwright Megan Gogerty’s one-woman take on the Beowulf story to the Hyde Park stage. That one woman is repeat B. Iden Payne award winner Katherine Catmull. The tale is mythological but also runs up against modern culture and is described as both “immersive” and “visceral.” That sounds about right for a play that tackles the authoritarian moment we’re currently wrestling with. Laughs and rage are also promised, and that’s our baseline these days, so we’re looking forward to it. – James RenovitchApril 24 - May 17 -
Arts
Theatre
I Wanna Be a F*cking Princess
This show scores one point for an extremely cathartic title, one that seems ridiculously fun to scream across the room. It scores five more for tackling the emotional pressure cooker of bridal parties and – brace yourselves – bachelorettes. Let’s add 10 points for putting that within a fractured fairy-tale format. I’m picturing something as fiercely fanged as the recent gal pals in White Lotus, but maybe with literal wolves? And finally, heap on about a hundred points for integrating this into the peri/menopausal exploration of HOT: the Exhibit, adding a whimsical performance aspect to an already-informative examination of an overlooked ordeal. Let’s talk about the changes women go through! Whether literally transformative, or just emotionally so! – Cat McCarreyThrough May 24 -
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
Margie Criner: “Sound & Vision”
Hailing from Chicago, artist Margie Criner works in sculpture and miniatures. How so? Her unique sculptural works – themselves impressive patchworks of materials from wool to actual hornets’ nests – feature peepholes through which viewers may glance tiny tableaux. These miniature worlds all center music, such as her pinky-finger-sized record store, Needle on the Records, with vintage posters plastered across its small interior walls. “The music theme isn’t always literal,” explains Criner, “but background sounds within the space, specific to what I’m processing. Kind of like how there’s music playing at the grocery store, that music is everywhere.” – James ScottThrough June 14 -
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
Theatre
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
See why 10 Tony Awards were showered on this stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 jukebox musical smash hit. The story of a French courtesan and her penniless poet lover stays the same, but the song catalog expands to include Sia and Katy Perry numbers.May 14-25 -
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
Comedy
PGraph
Austin’s reputation as an improv comedy town has a lot to do with the trio of Kareem Badr, Kaci Beeler, and Roy Janik, aka Parallelogramophonograph (or PGraph, if you’re nasty). With over a thousand unique performances under their combined belts, they’ve taken just about every award possible for their approach to improv, which is a lot more than just zany sketches. With their longtime residency at the Hideout coming to a close later this year when the beloved Downtown coffeehouse/theatre closes, catch this Austin comedy royalty in their throne room every Thursday until then. – Richard WhittakerEvery Thursday -
Arts
Visual Arts
Sev Coursen: “Portable Objects”
For the 45th in their ongoing Window Dressing series, ICOSA pretties up their outward facing exhibition space with the work of Austin-based artist Sev Coursen. Viewable from this coming Monday until next Sunday are Coursen’s many foldable objects, created by him to be “self-contained sculptures” which may collapse, travel, and expand at the whims of their presenting environment. These expansion and collapsing points come from multiple features, including hand-milled wooden articulated hinges. Swing by to see these wonders through ICOSA’s front window, or pop in on May 16 to meet the artist at his reception, 7-9pm. – James ScottMay 12-18 -
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
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 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
Visual Arts
Words and Wonder: Rediscovering Children’s Literature
One of the pleasures of having a first-rate research center and archive in town is how the Harry Ransom Center will regularly comb through its own vast holdings and hand-pick gems to present in a new context. Hence the HRC’s latest exhibit, “Words and Wonder: Rediscovering Children’s Literature,” which pulls from its manuscript, art, photography, film, and performing arts holdings to spotlight early 20th-century authors and illustrators catering to a young readership. The exhibit includes magic lantern slides from Aesop’s Fables, John Tenniel’s illustrations of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Ernest H. Shepard’s indelible images from the Hundred Acre Wood, among other treats. Runs through August 17. – Kimberley JonesThrough August 17 -
Arts
Books
Writers’ League of Texas Third Thursdays
Y’all: Writing is so hard. Imagine a crying emoji attached to that statement, and you’ll understand how my chosen career field affects me. Take heart, though, as I have done when learning about our local Writers’ League and their many workshops. Every third Thursday of the month, WLT brings you discussions by skilled panelists on myriad subjects pertaining to the written word. October’s topic concerns characters: How do you write ’em good? Authors Sherri L. Smith, Alex Temblador, and Meg Vondriska – who WLT assures us have experience in the area – bring their advice. – James ScottThird Thursday of every monthVirtual -
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