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Community
Kids
AJW Youth Jam at Batch
Here in the Live Music Capital of the World, there should be no shortage of opportunities for kids to develop their tuneful talents and pursue rockstar dreams. Austin Jazz Workshop’s jam series is one of these opportunities, with twice-monthly jams led by Gil Del Bosque just for middle- and high school students to get a feel for a real gig setting. Thanks to a financial boost from the city’s Cultural Arts Division, jams are scheduled through August: first Sundays at Batch, last Sundays at Central Market South, both at noon. – Kat McNevinsFirst Sundays, noon -
Community
Kids
AJW Youth Jam at Central Market
Here in the Live Music Capital of the World, there should be no shortage of opportunities for kids to develop their tuneful talents and pursue rockstar dreams. Austin Jazz Workshop’s jam series is one of these opportunities, with twice-monthly jams led by Gil Del Bosque just for middle- and high school students to get a feel for a real gig setting. Thanks to a financial boost from the city’s Cultural Arts Division, jams are scheduled through August: first Sundays at Batch, last Sundays at Central Market South, both at noon. – Kat McNevinsLast Sundays, noon -
Music
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Arts
Books
Amplify Book Club: Pet
Located within our Bat City’s big ol’ independent BookPeople is a book club dedicated to elevating authors of color like the writer of this month’s selection, Akwaeke Emezi. Nigeria-born and Brooklyn-based, Emezi’s work is “deeply rooted in the metaphysics of Black spirit, using the lens of indigenous ontologies to focus on embodiment, ritual, and rememory” according to their author bio. Amplify’s pick for March, Pet, was Emezi’s first young adult venture and received a Stonewall Honor. Its plot follows a young girl whose mother’s art comes to life in the form of Pet, “a creature made of horns and colors and claws.” – James ScottLast Monday of every month -
Music
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Community
Sports
Arena Weapon Arts Beginner Sword Practice
Learn about steel fencing and stickfighting with historical weapons, using modern sport science.Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 6:30-8pm. First week free. -
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
Atelier Dojo: Remote Studios
The local powerhouse of figurative painting, the art school that's the smart school for artists of all kinds, they've got a painting-along-at-home series going to help you keep your skills honed in these socially restrictive times, featuring live costumed models posing on camera and a thriving community of creatives rendering that lovely human biotecture from their separate studios. "Join us for a three-hour costumed-model drawing session. Use any supplies you wish, listen to music, share your work, chat with others. It’s a great way to stay connected with your art community!"Tuesdays, 1:30-4:30pm; Fridays, 6:30-9:30pm; Saturdays, 9:30-12:30pm. $5. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Austin Fashion Week
Discover new designers at the 16th annual Austin Fashion Week at the Domain Simon Center. More of a weekend, the show kicks off Thursday with Emerge, a runway show featuring up-and-coming artists. Austin Area Urban League presents the Black Designer Showcase Friday, highlighting Black designers from across the globe. Austin Fashion Week also promotes young artists: The Discover and Incubate runways celebrate student designers from Round Rock ISD, University of Texas, and Austin Community College. Finish out the weekend at Ode to the OGs, which focuses on longtime Austin Fashion Week designers. Don’t feel like buying a ticket? Drop by pop-up shops to peruse runway looks and vendors. – Madeline DuncanApril 18-20 -
Music
Austin Reggae Festival Day 1 benefiting Central Texas Food Bank w/ Stonebwoy, McPullish Dub All Stars ft. General Smiley & Sgt. Remo, the Human Rights, Ky-Enie King [main stage]; Soul Rebel, Mutiny, Off World Soundsystem, Papa C. [Charlie's Dub Corner]
This year marks the event’s 30th anniversary (initially called the Bob Marley Reggae Festival) benefiting the Central Texas Food Bank. The lineup celebrates the music’s glorious past and its vibrant present and future. Friday’s headliner, the award-winning Ghanaian Afropop superstar Stonebwoy, has been called the king of dancehall in Africa. Saturday looks to the future with Jamaican singer-songwriter Lila Iké topping the bill that also includes Italian reggae ambassador Alborosie. Old-school roots royalty reigns Sunday night with the Legendary Wailers featuring Marley guitarist Junior Marvin and one of reggae’s greatest bands ever, the original Soul Syndicate, who will pay tribute to Peter Tosh. From the early Seventies, when they were reggae’s premier studio band, and well into the Eighties, Soul Syndicate backed virtually every Jamaican artist of note. As always, the irreplaceable Jah Ray will emcee. And don’t forget to check out Charlie’s Dub Corner. – Jay TrachtenbergFri., April 19, 3pm -
Music
Austin Reggae Festival Day 2 w/ Lila Iké, Alborosie, F.Y.A.H., Los Skarnales, Dre Z Melodi & Dub Gideon, Roots From the Clay [main stage]; Jallanzo, Bomb City, Soul Rebel, Dre Z, Dolomike, Dr. Dubbist, Jah Karma [Charlie's Dub Corner]
This year marks the event’s 30th anniversary (initially called the Bob Marley Reggae Festival) benefiting the Central Texas Food Bank. The lineup celebrates the music’s glorious past and its vibrant present and future. Friday’s headliner, the award-winning Ghanaian Afropop superstar Stonebwoy, has been called the king of dancehall in Africa. Saturday looks to the future with Jamaican singer-songwriter Lila Iké topping the bill that also includes Italian reggae ambassador Alborosie. Old-school roots royalty reigns Sunday night with the Legendary Wailers featuring Marley guitarist Junior Marvin and one of reggae’s greatest bands ever, the original Soul Syndicate, who will pay tribute to Peter Tosh. From the early Seventies, when they were reggae’s premier studio band, and well into the Eighties, Soul Syndicate backed virtually every Jamaican artist of note. As always, the irreplaceable Jah Ray will emcee. And don’t forget to check out Charlie’s Dub Corner. – Jay TrachtenbergSat., April 20, noon -
Music
Austin Reggae Festival Day 3 w/ Junior Marvin & the Legendary Wailers, the Original Soul Syndicate (Peter Tosh tribute), Mellow Mood, Kristine Alicia, Soulfiya, Ras I-Dre & the Djedite; Sgt. Remo, Mr. Blacc Sheep, Soulfiya, Selector J, more
This year marks the event’s 30th anniversary (initially called the Bob Marley Reggae Festival) benefiting the Central Texas Food Bank. The lineup celebrates the music’s glorious past and its vibrant present and future. Friday’s headliner, the award-winning Ghanaian Afropop superstar Stonebwoy, has been called the king of dancehall in Africa. Saturday looks to the future with Jamaican singer-songwriter Lila Iké topping the bill that also includes Italian reggae ambassador Alborosie. Old-school roots royalty reigns Sunday night with the Legendary Wailers featuring Marley guitarist Junior Marvin and one of reggae’s greatest bands ever, the original Soul Syndicate, who will pay tribute to Peter Tosh. From the early Seventies, when they were reggae’s premier studio band, and well into the Eighties, Soul Syndicate backed virtually every Jamaican artist of note. As always, the irreplaceable Jah Ray will emcee. And don’t forget to check out Charlie’s Dub Corner. – Jay TrachtenbergSun., April 21, noon -
Summer Camp
Instructional Camps
Austin School of Film Animation
Young artists will immerse themselves in the magical realm of digital animation and embark on a creative journey, mastering the craft of animated characters and captivating worlds to breathe life into their ideas, leading to a highlights showcase at Alamo Drafthouse.: No prior animation experience is necessary, but basic computer skills are essential.: Ages 11-18.June 3-7; July 8-12. $595. -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Circular Body”
Alejandra Almuelle has been responsible for some of the most compelling works of clay sculpture ever created in this city, many of them predicated on the human body and its potential as a record of experience. This latest exhibition of her artistry, a solo show at Women & Their Work, brings the human form front and center, clayborne with additions of graphite, beeswax, paper, resin, and gold and silver leaf. Adorned, embellished, emboldened, the flesh created from clay comes full circle, a cycle of memory and magic powered by beauty, the viewing of it an experience we recommend recording via your own wonder-hungry rods and cones. – Wayne Alan BrennerThrough May 9 (Opening reception, Sat., March 23, 7-9pm) -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Ode to the Book”
In a gear-up for Independent Bookstore Day on April 27, Bolm Arts offers up a new exhibit, “Ode to the Book.” Musicians Jade Parx, Jac Carson, Amir Neubach, Liz Emme, and Nico Little will play as visitors peruse a diverse collection of illustrations, letterpress prints, book shrine sculptures, art books, and art made from books. “Elevating them beyond their functional purpose, artists Stephen Dubov, Sandra C. Fernandez, Emily Mitchell, Kyle Schlesinger, Jennie Tudor Gray and Beckette Rivera have created their own unique tribute to books,” writes the gallery. For more bookworm content, check out a talk by author Eric Heisner, a Western-loving screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker who will speak on the Austin Book Trail April 27. – Lina FisherOpening reception: Thu., April 18. Open gallery hours: Sat. & Sun., 12-4pm, until May 4 -
Community
Kids
Baby Bloomers
A special program for visitors ages 0-3 and their families, providing caregivers and early learners the chance to experience the children's museum together. Thinkery will host two storytimes and free play that support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of the earliest learners.Saturdays, 8-10am -
Community
Events
Barton Creek Farmers Market
A great selection of local farmers bringing fabulous pastured meats, eggs, dairy, vegetables, and fruits, plus prepared-food vendors, artisans, bakers, and of course, live music.Sundays, 9am-1pm. Free.4805 Hwy. 290 W., Sunset Valley (Kohl's parking lot) -
Community
Events
Beginner’s Guide to Hydroponics Workshop
Austin Creative Reuse has long provided a haven for Austin artists to transform discarded objects into creative projects. Now, they’re hosting a workshop on how to transform a cup of water into a thriving ecosystem. Taught by Austin Davenport – a community gardener, volunteer farmer, and aspiring agroecologist whose résumé includes tomato-growing workshops, mushroom cultivation, and planting for pollinators classes – the class will include the basics of setting up a hydroponic system, choosing the right plants, and maintaining a healthy growing environment. Plus, they’ll send you home with a Mason jar and a lettuce or basil plant to kick-start your water garden. – Lina FisherSun., April 21 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Beneath the Persimmon Tree: Poetry and Process
Austin, where even the suburbs keep it weird and artsy. That’s definitely true of the Georgetown Art Center and their carefully curated local exhibits. Take a trip up north and enjoy the latest from multimedia artist Kelly Wagner Steinke. Her strikingly textural works find beauty in chaos, rejoicing in the boundaries of materials like wax, pigments, and birch panels. Oddly hypnotic and comforting, they’ll definitely spark some thought. Check it out and ponder the art’s meaning while walking through the “most beautiful town square in Texas.” – Cat McCarreyThrough April 28 -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
Big Tits, Bigger Dreams
Brigitte Bandit hosts this non-competitive drag open mic that invites upcoming drag artists to hone their craft as well as get professional portrait and performance photography.First Saturday of every month, 6-9pm -
Arts
Visual Arts
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Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
Brunch with the Babes
A top-notch brunch from yer fave babes Maxine LaQueene and Eileen Dover with drag & burlesque by rotating cast Adrienne Park, Jayden Daniels, Asami, and Mars Morningstar.Saturdays, 3pm. Free but RSVP. -
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
Visual Arts
Carver Museum: Two Births and the Afterlife
You think it’s easy, being somebody’s mother? You think giving birth to another human being doesn’t put your own humanity and purpose under some fierce self-scrutiny? Milwaukee-based artist Aimée M. Everett, in her solo show at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, uses abstraction, minimalist line-making, saturated colors, and melodic compositions to explore “the profound transformations experienced during childbirth and the subsequent journey of self-discovery into motherhood.” Word – or, more appropriately, image – to your mother. – Wayne Alan BrennerOpening reception: Thu., Jan. 11, 6-8pm -
Arts
Comedy
ColdTowne Theater
ColdTowne's new brick-and-mortar place is totally open, and who knows what they'll shake this city with next? But one truth remains: ColdTowne is a designated den of gold, baby, sweet comedy gold. -
Community
Kids
Community Hours at Thinkery
Thinkery provides admission by donation as part of its Open Door Initiative, created to give every child a chance to explore STEAM concepts and develop a lifelong love of learning, regardless of means.Sundays, 3-5pm; Tuesdays, 3-7pm -
Music
Concert Club w/ Matt the Electrician
Don't miss Concert Club featuring Matt the Electrician on April 20th at the Long Center in the intimate Rollins Theatre! See the best of Austin artists in a setting like you can't get anywhere else. A portion of proceeds benefit Frameworks, the Long Center program that delivers rental discounts and other modes of support to Austin arts organizations. Tickets can be purchased at thelongcenter.orgSat., April 20, 8pm -
Community
Events
Cozy Gals Paint Night
Join in for cozy pottery painting, complimentary spiked (or plain) cider, and soft, vibey music.Sun., Dec. 29, 5-8pm. $15.Art Garage, 5501 N. Lamar; 11190 Circle Dr. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Creating Encuentros: Changarrito 2012–2024
Traveling in Mexico, you frequently encounter changarritos – portable food carts or tienditas run by hardworking entrepreneurs. The carts usually operate outside of any formal regulation and, in that way, mirror the resilience and creativity of Mexican culture. In 2005, artist Máximo González appropriated the concept of the changarrito as a way for artists to take their work directly to the people. The idea came to Austin’s venerable Mexic-Arte Museum in 2012, with dozens of artists displaying art and interacting with the public outside the Downtown gallery. The concept is back and will run through August. – Brant BingamonThrough August 25 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Creekside Studio
Creekside Studio is a women-owned printmaking studio and gallery, located in Canopy on the Eastside, specializing in fine art prints pulled by hand using archival materials and matrices: engravings, photogravure etchings, monotypes, woodcuts, copperplate etchings, and linocut.Saturdays, noon-1pm916 Springdale, Bldg 2 #103B -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
Divina: Noche Drag Latinx
At the start of her drag career, Divina host Tatiana Cholula told Qmmunity she’d be critiqued for not assimilating enough “American” culture into her acts. “Before I started Divina,” she said, “the scene was rich in amazing Latinx drag performers and artists, but there weren’t any spaces focused on them or they didn’t feel comfortable performing certain songs at certain spaces.” Thankfully, Tatiana did start Divina, and now every other Wednesday you’ll see Oilcan Harry’s stage taken over by the spirits of Latina legends like Gloria Estefan and Paulina Rubio – courtesy of local Latinx drag talent. – James ScottEvery other Wednesday, 9-11pm -
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
Visual Arts
Ex Voto
Albuquerque-based artist Beedallo utilizes bold colors and startling imagery in their paintings, many of which depict animals, humans, and religious figures in various states of distress. Their current show, “Ex Voto,” takes up the Recspec Gallery’s new Annex, created for “our artists to explore space and transform a simple shipping container into an entirely different dimension,” the gallery states. Within the container walls, Beedallo’s art digs into the urge to pray even without specific religious faith. “An Ex Voto is made as an offering to a saint or to God,” their artist’s statement reads. “This is often a work in the image of what needs to be fixed.” After the show’s opening date, it’ll run the next three Saturdays in April. – James ScottSat., March 30 -
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
Visual Arts
Fictions More Precious
Works by the annual Tito’s Prize Winner for Visual Arts – yes, that’s the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Tito, tyvm – are presented, as ever, by the community-forward creatives at Big Medium, and this year’s honoree is Trinidadian artist Rodell Warner. Come explore the new Big Medium space on South Congress, its gallery recently refurbished after a fire and freshly bright with Warner’s provocative digital interventions that fictionalize the Caribbean’s fraught past and interrogate that region’s historical photographic archive. – Wayne Alan BrennerThursdays-Sundays. Through April 20 -
Arts
Visual Arts
First Saturdays at Canopy
The first Saturday of every month from 1-4pm, the 72 artists housed at the Canopy complex on Springdale Road open their studios to the public, allowing an intimate look into Austin’s visual art scene. Ivester Contemporary and ICOSA Gallery are also open, giving people a chance to see work in progress and fully realized gallery shows, as well as buy or commission new artwork. Sa-Ten, which recently expanded its hours from 7am-9pm every day, provides tasty Japanese libations worth their own trip, so grab a yuzu lemonade to sip and wander. – Lina FisherFirst Saturdays, 1-4pm -
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Music
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Arts
Visual Arts
Free Day
Art! Oh, I love it. But sadly, when I open my pockets, moths fly out. Good news for me and all my broke friends: Every Tuesday, the Blanton opens its doors to all visitors free of charge. Why, unburdened by the weight of an empty wallet, Austinites can mull the strange world of contemporary womanhood in “Unbreakable: Feminist Visions from the Gilberto Cárdenas and Dolores Garcia Collection.” Or walk beneath the silver and mesh sculptures of Marie Watt’s “Sky Dances Light.” Or explore the past through its artistic pieces in “The Floating World: Masterpieces of Edo Japan.” Or enjoy any of the many, MANY other exhibitions available on this day: all for free. – James ScottTuesdays -
Arts
Visual Arts
Gabriele Galimberti: The Ameriguns & Toy Stories
They say Texas is the gun capital of America; no arguments here. And many gun collectors treat them almost like toys, taking pride in amassing safeloads of the things and procuring the latest gadgets. Internationally acclaimed Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti set out to capture images of American gun owners among their massive collections of weapons for “Ameriguns,” resulting in some stunning imagery. This series is juxtaposed with children showcasing their toy collections for “Toy Stories,” for which Galimberti also made observations about socioeconomic and other factors influencing the subjects’ relationship to their possessions, making for a thoughtful and provocative exhibition. – Kat McNevinsThrough May 12 -
Community
Events
GoldenGaia Vendor Market + Holistic Fair
Explore a diverse selection of vendors, including artisans, psychic readers, and holistic practitioners who can help heal mind, body, and spirit.Sat.-Sun., 11am-5pm. Free. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Greater Austin Clay Studio Tour
Oh my love, my darling, why not have your own Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore moment with the Clay Studio Tour? Try your hand at the wheel through pottery demos and workshops. Or just support those magical mud-makers and buy some art. So sorry, but you can’t use location as an excuse not to go – these tours are happening throughout the Austin area, from Pflugerville to Manchaca and everywhere in between. Get messy and make financial mistakes while witnessing some truly staggering claywork. – Cat McCarreySat. & Sun., April 20-21Multiple locations -
Community
Events
H-E-B Free First Sunday
Explore the story of Texas through three floors of exhibits showcasing artifacts from around the state.First Sundays, 10am-5pm. Free. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Hill & Adamson: The Clarkson Stanfield Album
Art conservation can be a contradiction: to destroy to preserve. Thus it is with the HRC and its efforts to restore the Clarkson Stanfield album, one of the most remarkable volumes in the history of art photography. More correctly known as “100 Calotypes by D. O. Hill, R.S.A., and R. Adamson,” the collection of over 100 salted paper prints was collated by the photographers for landscape artist Stanfield and depicts the lords, laborers, clergy, and scientists of 19th-century Scotland and the landscapes in which they lived. Currently undergoing repairs, the center staff are using its deconstructed state to display 39 plates, along with more works from Hill and Adamson, as separate works since the first time they were bound. – Richard WhittakerThursdays-Sundays. Through June 2 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Holly Roberts Opening Reception
Across the 40 years of her artistic career, there’s been a softening in the work of New Mexico artist Holly Roberts. Her 1980s output came with a menacing shadow, a threat of violence at the edges. In the past decade, her post-millennial experiments with collage and hybrid photography/painting have given way to a new era of portraiture and equine studies that plays with the wildness of naive art with utter control. Catch the latest stage of her evolution with new prints in a joint show with Jon Langford, Lisa Brawn, Bruce Lee, and Kerry Smith. – Richard WhittakerSat., April 20 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Jen Garrido: Shapes That Listen
As a glasses-wearer, my vision unobstructed by assistive frames reveals a world of shapes – formless, edgeless, but colorful wonders nonetheless. Take a glance at Jen Garrido’s work, and you’ll feel as though your glasses have fallen away, too. The artist’s process, as she puts it, is “a delicate balance of choice and process.” She gravitates toward shapes that “tangle, overlap, sit, lean and lay” as a vessel for personal narratives and internal dialogues. While first looks may reveal only color and texture, Garrido’s paintings invite projection – so project your meanings any Tuesday-Sunday before the show’s April 28 end date. – James ScottThrough April 28 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Karn Knutson: Inside the Moments
How do we experience each singular second of our lives? An enormous question for an event listing, sure, but that’s exactly what artist Karn Knutson tackles in her current exhibition. “Knutson attempts to show us ourselves in moments of reflection,” the show description reads, “contemplating the transitions through life, processing the struggles, finding ways forward with knowledge, sometimes hard lessons from our past, and learning from our choices good and bad. She aims to represent the things we all feel but can’t always express until we see something that lets us talk about it outside ourselves.” Maybe the something that unlocks your inner feelings is waiting just inside Link & Pin, ready to unleash all those singular seconds. – James ScottThursdays-Sundays. Through May 12 -
Arts
Visual Arts
La Mujer: A Celebration of Women
La Mujer presents an overwhelming smorgasbord of options celebrating and caring for strong, sensitive women. Inside: art exhibits, keynote speakers, and a series of workshops on things like sound healing and somatic writing (these do require pre-registration, so plan ahead). Outside: open pitch for businesses, open mic for artists, kids’ activities, chamoy making, and an outdoor market by Frida Friday. Heal your mind and soul. – Cat McCarreySun., April 21 -
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
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Arts
Visual Arts
Molly Sydnor’s “After the Rain Part I”
A piece of Dallas artist Molly Sydnor lives in Austin this spring thanks to “After the Rain Part I,” a Big Medium pop-up exhibition of bright textiles. Like a touchable rainbow, the multicolor weavings run ceiling-to-floor in a tiny room of the arts organization’s South Congress Avenue gallery space. The claustrophobic container may “evoke anxiety,” the artist notes, but for Sydnor, the act of weaving is a meditative process. Catch the display from 7 to 9pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or weekends from 11am to 4pm. – Carys AndersonThrough May 12 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Nude Model Sketching
Right, so you’re reading this because you saw “nude modeling” in the title, but then noticed the “sketching” and were still interested, because you’ve actually been wanting to capture an unclothed human figure on canvas or paper with pigments of one sort or another? Excellent – because this three-hour session happens at Atelier Dojo, the finest school of artistic realism in the city, run by painters Jennifer Balkan, Denise M. Fulton, and Karen Offutt. You don’t even have to be a student there: Show up anytime, use whatever supplies you need, and there’s only a $10 drop-in fee. – Wayne Alan BrennerMondays. Through June 24 -
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. -
Music
Outlaw Pride Fest SMTX w/ Kairos
Y’all, it’s about to get real country in Central Texas. Okay, more country than it already was, which was fairly country. Rustled up once more by the indomitable Julie Nolen, this year’s lineup for the LGBTQ-centric country music festival features artists like Emily Herring & the FM Band, Ruby Dice, Montana Sands, Rock Bottom String Band, Julie Bouchard, and Kairos. But wait! There’s more: the Bizarre Bazaar with karaoke, a vendor market, and silent auction; a scholarship fundraiser featuring Los Gatos 512; and not one, but TWO drag events. Malibu Imported puts on a show after Kairos’ set, and Sunday morning rings in a drag brunch featuring Eileen Dover, Amy H. Graves, Scarlet Sagamore, and Serena Blake. Why, it’s enough to make you shout, “What in tarnation!” – James ScottFri., April 19, 9pm -
Music
Outlaw Pride Fest SMTX: Pearlsnap Music Gorup showcase w/ Emily Herring & the FM Band, Julie Nolen, Ruby Dice
Y’all, it’s about to get real country in Central Texas. Okay, more country than it already was, which was fairly country. Rustled up once more by the indomitable Julie Nolen, this year’s lineup for the LGBTQ-centric country music festival features artists like Emily Herring & the FM Band, Ruby Dice, Montana Sands, Rock Bottom String Band, Julie Bouchard, and Kairos. But wait! There’s more: the Bizarre Bazaar with karaoke, a vendor market, and silent auction; a scholarship fundraiser featuring Los Gatos 512; and not one, but TWO drag events. Malibu Imported puts on a show after Kairos’ set, and Sunday morning rings in a drag brunch featuring Eileen Dover, Amy H. Graves, Scarlet Sagamore, and Serena Blake. Why, it’s enough to make you shout, “What in tarnation!” – James ScottSat., April 20, 9pm -
Community
Yoga
Paragon Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
leans toward the intense side of yogic arts. Focusing mostly on power yoga, Paragon is a good choice for athletes looking to stay fit and limber. -
Qmmunity
Community
Queer Art Night
Queer creatives of all mediums can drop in and hang out with other LGBTQ folks while working on personal projects. Masks required for indoor meets. Note: This is not a space for allies.Every other Wednesday, 7:30-10pm -
Community
Events
Record Store Day
Though these days it comes twice a year thanks to shopping bonanza Black Friday, the OG celebration of the independent record store has long taken place in April. Launched in 2007, Record Store Day riles up audiophiles with a slew of limited edition releases. This year, participating locals include Willie Nelson, who reissues Phases and Stages for its 50th anniversary and presses “Long Story Short,” his star-studded 90th birthday concert from last year, into a live album. From New Jersey, the Roches’ 1979 debut receives its first US reissue in 40 years. Zooming out, Record Store Day ambassadors Paramore tap David Byrne for a split single in which the artists cover each other’s biggest hits. – Carys AndersonSat., April 20Independent Record Stores -
Arts
Visual Arts
Scent of Austin
Flowers are an integral part of the lives of the Broq-Pa peoples of the Indian subcontinent, a constant adornment for both men and women. The interplay of human and floral forms has fascinated artist Ziesook You and become the prevailing theme of her work onward from 2016. Since relocating to Austin two years ago, the internationally acclaimed artist has given a local twist to that body of work with this new collection featuring single mothers, seniors, and people with multicultural backgrounds as living vases for local flora. – Richard WhittakerThrough April 20 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Second Saturdays
Enjoy music, DJs, and more at this late night hang at Austin's Blanton museum, open until 8pm for you to dive deep into their many art offerings.Second Saturday of every month -
Community
Events
Sherwood Forest Faire
The 15th annual Sherwood Forest Faire begins this Saturday and remains open on weekends from 10am to dusk, rain or shine, till April 21. Over 170 artisans will be peddling their wares and showing off demonstrations of the serious craft it takes to make them, ranging from glass blowers, blacksmiths, potters, and leather armor makers to weavers, jewelers, and visual artists. With over 150 live performances a day to choose from, you could witness full-contact jousting, falconry, swordplay, archery, juggling, comedy, or theatre. We all know the best part of the faire is the turkey legs though – so don yourself a cheeky costume, let the mead flow, and get thee to McDade this spring. – Lina FisherSaturdays, Sundays. Through April 21 -
Music
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Music
Southwestern University Wind Ensemble
Sun., April 28, 7:30pm. Free w/ RSVP. -
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. -
Community
Yoga
Texas Healing Arts Institute
Get your body back in line with spa and massage treatments or yoga and bodywork classes. Training in the wellness arts is also available. -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
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Arts
Theatre
The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body
Black cultural studies scholar Lisa B. Thompson’s “theatrical love letter to Black women and girls” premieres to a sold-out crowd this Friday at the Vortex. The choreopoem – which incorporates music, movement, and design, and culminates in an audience dance party – is “about embracing the ‘soft life’ for Black women, whose labor and dedication has sustained people, communities, and institutions,” says Thompson, who conceived of the idea during her 2021 MacDowell artist residency. The show was subsequently developed during a 2023-24 Texas Performing Arts and Fusebox residency, and includes songs co-written with composers Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. and Vince Anthony, as well as collaborations with choreographer Sadé M. Jones. The show runs Thu.-Sun. through May 4, and tickets are selling fast! – Lina FisherThu.-Sun through May 4 -
Arts
Visual Arts
The Blanton: The Floating World
The opportunity to witness, in person, the creative expression of different times and diverse cultures is one of the perks of city-dwellers everywhere – and exemplified by the collections and traveling exhibitions hosted by UT’s acclaimed Blanton Museum of Art. The Blanton’s newest show displays masterpieces from Edo-period Japan, on loan from the Worcester Art Museum through June 30. These “pictures of the floating world” depict the lifestyle, pleasures, and interests of the urban population – samurais, geishas, kabuki actors, boat parties, palaces, and lush landscapes. As then, so now: Much of who we are is what we do with our lives. – Wayne Alan BrennerFeb. 11-June 30 -
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
The Museum of Fine Arts, Austin
Art by Charles Walter, Benjamin Bayne, and other international, national, and local artists.Sundays, 3-5pm. Donations accepted.1638 E. Second #326 -
Arts
Visual Arts
The Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata
This place, ah, it's one of our favorite places in the entire city; and of course they're properly corona-closed. But check 'em out online right now – it's a rich, wonder-filled website – to whet your appetite for when things get back to … uh … are we still calling it "normal," these days? -
Qmmunity
Community
The Queer and Trans Community Closet
Make your appointment for curbside pickup at Out Youth and the Transgender Wellness Program's qmmunity closet for bus passes, groceries, hygiene items, art supplies, select gender-affirming items, and more. Days and hours of operation vary.Free. -
Arts
Visual Arts
The Stuffed Animal Rescue Foundation
Yes, the SARF is welcoming visitors every Saturday – to say hello, apply to adopt special stuffies who need homes, and be dazzled by "the creative endeavors of the most talented stuffed minds ever assembled."Saturdays, noon-4pm. Donations accepted. -
Music
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Music
Tropicalísimo Apache de Arturo Ortiz, Mister Chivo, El Tren Del Norte
Sun., April 21, 7pm -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
UnBEARable!
Chique Fil-Atio and Mascara Rivers host Austin's longest running camp comedy drag show with Basura and Summer Clearance on co-host rotation. Each month promises special guest musicians, comics, and drag artists.First Thursday of every month, 10pm -
Arts
Visual Arts
WPA: Elizabeth Olds
Minneapolis-born and -raised, Elizabeth Olds lived to a sturdy 94 but didn’t get the attention she deserved in her lifetime. The Harry Ransom Center’s new exhibit, which opened Feb. 3 and runs through July 14, aims to rectify that with a first-of-its-kind look back at more than 100 of her prints, paintings, drawings, and illustrations from the 1920s to the 1960s. Of particular note: her depictions of social and political change from her time as a Works Progress Administration printmaker. Want to go deeper? Drop in for one of the daily docent tours. – Kimberley JonesFeb. 3-July 14 -
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 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Yard Dog: Paul Rodriguez
Yard Dog presents the vibrant works of Paul Rodriguez, a printmaker from San Miguel de Allende. "And some very cool new paintings by Harry Underwood."Opening reception: Fri., Jan. 19, 7-9pm
