With winter melting away, now is the time to spring into the arts as new exhibits, performances, and happenings begin to pop up all over town. So be like the groundhog and come out of your hidey-hole. Spring has sprung, Memphis.
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Painting on the River Series
With March being Women’s History Month, Cossitt Library has teamed up with five local women painters for a Painting on the River Series, offering a painting class each Saturday in March on the riverfront.
Each week, Ariel Cobbert, the series’ organizer, says the library will share in-depth profiles, interviews, and highlights of the featured artist, in anticipation of their class. Sarai Payne, who was the featured artist March 2nd, taught a class that mixed painting with collage work. Teaching the following classes will be Alexandra Baker on March 9th, Rachel Mattson on March 16th, Taylor Jackson on March 23rd, and Amanda Willoughby on March 30th.
“We’re just trying to create an initiative that aligns with our commitment to promoting diversity and just celebrating women’s achievement,” Cobbert says. “I really wanted to highlight a lot of different artists. Me being in the art scene, it’s easily noticeable that sometimes the same artists are always on the pedestal, so I like to highlight local artists to just give them a platform. That’s something that the library can contribute since everybody can’t book out larger venues and stuff.”
Each artist will introduce their own style, Cobbert says. Baker will do a class on healing through watercolors, for instance, while Willoughby will focus on portraiture. “People should be able to find their fix within this group of five talented women.”
The classes are completely free, with all supplies provided through the Memphis Library Foundation. “We plan to have tables outdoors, so people can touch the grass a little bit and just paint,” Cobbert says. “It’ll be a way to build community through people who see painting as a hobby or a career and just come and learn.”
Register at memphis.librarycalendar.com, where you can also keep up with other library programming.
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Art by Design
After a pandemic pause, ARTSmemphis is bringing back its Art by Design fundraiser, a five-day series of events highlighting Memphis’ interior design community. At the core of the fundraiser is the gallery showroom where just over 20 designers will have created vignettes of living spaces. There will be arts activations, music, food, and more, during the showroom’s hours.
“It’s a great way for people to come and not only maybe get inspiration for their own houses, maybe buy a few things, maybe learn about some new Memphis artists they may not know about, but also to support our process,” says Elizabeth Rouse, ARTSmemphis president and CEO. “Most of our work is really focused on raising money and then granting it out and supporting arts organizations and artists in a variety of ways, and so this is just a really unique opportunity for interior designers, who in some cases are competitors, to come together for Memphis and to showcase their own work, which is very different.”
This will also be the first year that Art by Design will implement its Emerging Designers program, through which it will waive the vignette fee for regional emerging designers Colin Chapman, Brittney Murckson, Jurnee Kelley, and Baylor Pillow. “We really see this as an opportunity to help strengthen the interior design field in Memphis and bring that community together,” Rouse says.
Designer Carmeon Hamilton created this program in 2020, and even had designers prepared to participate, before the event was canceled due to Covid. Laquita Tate was one of those initial emerging designers, but she will now be joining Art by Design as a “fully emerged designer.”
“We were able to at least get together and plan some things out [in 2020],” Tate says. “I was able to see how some things work behind the scenes, which helped me, and so I’m just really excited to be able to do this even now, four years later. ”
Ultimately, though, Tate hopes that people will come out to the event for the sake of community. “Memphis is rich with a variety of different types of arts here,” she says, “and people might miss out on some of that with some of the other things that are going on currently in the city, but that should be the most important piece: Come out, support us, support the city of Memphis, and support the arts.”
Art by Design will have several accompanying events in addition to the showroom, such as Dinner with Designers, The Art of Mahjong game night, Cocktails by Design, and a special speaker. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit artsmemphis.org/art-by-design.
Art by Design will take place April 3rd to 7th at Agricenter International.
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“The Concert Photography of Jack Robinson”
In partnership with the Jack Robinson Archive, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music’s latest exhibit presents 15 of Robinson’s finest images from the iconic Soul Together Concert of 1968. Held just two months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Madison Square Garden concert raised more than $75,000 for two charities, and Robinson was on the job for Vogue magazine, capturing the star-studded roster of Atlantic recording artists such as Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave, King Curtis, and more.
“Jack Robinson’s work is so well-known,” the museum’s executive director Jeff Kollath says, “and he has this incredible connection to Memphis. People have seen Jack Robinson photographs — they just might not know that they’re a Jack Robinson — but we’ve all seen Jack Robinson photographs. … His style and how he practiced his craft is just so unique and interesting and it really shows in these photographs.”
Yet unlike Robinson’s typical portraits and studio shots, the photos in this temporary exhibit are on-the-scene, so they have a different kind of “energy and raw power,” Kollath says. “He’s taking photo after photo after photo and they show how he’s able to capture movement in a way that still shows so much clarity — especially at a Sam & Dave day concert, where they’re dancing, the band is dancing, and you sense this movement, this speed at which they’re all moving and yet the photos are so clear. He’s a remarkably skilled photographer.”
Robinson’s photographs will be on display through the end of March.
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ON DISPLAY
“School of Ool: Whose Views Ooze Muse”
Coe Lapossy revisits artifacts of queerness wedged within a seemingly straight world.
Clough Hanson Gallery, through March 22
Memphis Germantown Art League Annual Spring Juried Exhibition
Exhibition of work by members of the Memphis/Germantown Art League (MGAL).
Memphis Botanic Garden, through March 30
“Breaking the Rules”
Seventy-five paintings, watercolors, and drawings spanning the entirety of Paul Wonner’s and William “Theophilus” Brown’s careers.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, through March 31
“Marking Time”
Remy Miller’s landscapes and Joe Morzuch’s still-lifes and self-portraits.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, through April 14
“Radical Jewelry Makeover: The Artist Project”
An innovative community-mining project that repurposes jewelry to create sustainable art.
Metal Museum, through April 14
“Shelby Canopy: Our Shared Connection”
An immersive public art project that aims to raise awareness of natural resources.
Wolf River Greenway, through April 19
“Iliumpta”
Birdcap’s retelling of Homer’s Iliad set in the Southernmost bayous of Mississippi.
Crosstown Arts, through April 28
“The Earthworm and the Hawk”
Melissa Dunn generates drawings intuitively from her imagination.
Crosstown Arts, through April 28
“What Were You Meant For?”
Kevin Brooks uncovers the seldom-seen layers of Black male identity.
Crosstown Arts, through April 28
“Everyday People: Snapshots of The Black Experience”
A photography exhibition showcasing Memphis artist Eric Echols’ photo collection of 20th-century African Americans.
Museum of Science & History, through July 14
“Branching Out”
Discover intricate connections between students, teachers, and casting communities.
Metal Museum, through September 8
“A World Apart”
Roger Allan Cleaves’ paintings exist in a rich and wondrous multiverse.
Sheet Cake Gallery, March 9-April 27
“Christian Siriano: People Are People”
Drawing from American designer Christian Siriano’s archive of bold creations.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, March 22-August 4
“Rhythm and Hues: A GCA Major Flower Show”
A brief but brilliant display of beauty.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, April 13-14
“Progression”
Exhibition of work by Sowgand Sheikholeslami.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, April 14-July 7
“Memphis 2024”
A dazzling array of work by the most creative men and women working in the Mid-South today.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, April 21-June 30
“It’s All Relative”
Morgan Lugo’s pieces speak to the lasting effects of past experiences.
Metal Museum, April 21-July 7
“No Place Like Home”
This brief, month-long installation encourages the visitor to consider the concept of “home” in the queer community, and specifically in metalsmithing.
Metal Museum, May 1-June 2
ON STAGE
Little Women
Jo March gives us her greatest story: that of the March sisters, four dreamers destined to be imperfect little women.
Germantown Community Theatre, through March 17
Succession
Succession explores the world of Black theater through the actions of Steve Harrison, a promising young actor.
Hattiloo Theatre, through March 24
LOCAL: Art Moves Memphis
Dance concert presented by Company d dancers with Down syndrome and inspired by the vibrant urban art and murals throughout the Memphis community.
Wiener Theater, Hutchison School, March 23
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
This jukebox musical takes you on a journey that realistically documents Carole King’s rise to fame and superstar status as a songwriter and performer.
Theatre Memphis, March 8-30
Peter Pan
Fly with Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and the Darling children straight to Neverland for a timeless adventure.
Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center, March 8-10
Mrs. Doubtfire
Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny comes to Memphis.
Orpheum Theatre, March 12-17
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Experience the magic of childhood and the beloved Peanuts gang in this Tony Award-winning musical.
The Circuit Playhouse, March 15-April 13
Zanna Don’t! A Musical Fairy Tale
Emerald Theatre Company presents a play, set in a world where everyone is gay — well, almost everyone.
TheatreWorks @ The Square, March 15-24
Opera Memphis: La Calisto
A baroque masterpiece of love, lust, vengeance and … astronomy.
Playhouse on the Square, March 22-23
POTUS (Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive)
Witness the team of women behind a newly elected president.
The Circuit Playhouse, March 22-April 14
MOMIX: ALICE
Presented by a company of dancer-illusionists, ALICE, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, takes audiences on a journey down the rabbit hole.
Germantown Performing Arts Center, March 23
Pink Floyd And The Planets
Memphis Symphony Orchestra presents psychedelic tunes and enchanting melodies.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, March 23 | Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, March 24
Golden Girls – The Laughs Continue
Miami’s sassiest seniors have returned for one more hurrah.
Orpheum Theatre, March 28
Feelings & Other Uncomfortable Things
Get in your feels with this artistic experience centered around listening to music and creating a collage.
Shady Grove Presbyterian Church, March 29
Hattiloo Theatre Presents: Sing, Sistah, Sing
Hattiloo celebrates the indomitable spirit of Black women with concerts, step routines, original all-women dance performances, and spoken-word from talented Black female artists.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, March 30
Wicked
This Broadway sensation looks at what happened in the Land of Oz … but from a different angle.
Orpheum Theatre, April 3-21
Fairytales on Ice Presents: Peter Pan and Wendy
The beloved, classic story of Peter Pan and his pal Wendy comes to life with dramatic and imaginative enactment, as the Buckman stage converts into an ice rink.
Buckman Performing Arts Center, April 4
Hamlet
The tragedy by William Shakespeare.
Tennessee Shakespeare Company, April 4-21
Master Class
A fierce and clever production about diva opera star Maria Callas.
Theatre Memphis, April 5-21
Out in the Woods
Friends of George’s presents a dragnificent adventure.
Evergreen Theatre, April 11-20
Blues in the Night
The soul of the blues wails out full and strong in the scorching, Tony-nominated musical.
Hattiloo Theatre, April 12-May 5
Science of Movement: Collage Dance Collective
Witness how a dancer prepares for the stage and experience excerpts from Collage Dance Collective’s repertory.
Museum of Science & History, April 13
Variations on a Theme: La Divina: A Tribute to Maria Callas
Featuring music inspired by Maria Callas and Theatre Memphis’ Master Class.
Opera Memphis, April 13-14
American Roots
Ballet Memphis’ celebration of Americana through dance.
Crosstown Theater, April 19-21
ELEVATE
Collage Dance’s spring program.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, April 20-21
Celtic Woman
A blend of traditional and contemporary Irish music.
Orpheum Theatre, April 25
Steel Magnolias
A touching portrait of women.
Theatre Memphis, performances April 26-May 12
Your Arm’s Too Short to Box With God
An uplifting musical with gospel-inspired music and inspiring storytelling.
Playhouse on the Square, April 26-May 19
Tchaikovsky’s 5th & Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto
Presented by Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, April 27 | Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, April 28
A Monster Calls
New Moon Theatre presents this play about a monster that has come walking.
TheatreWorks @ The Square, May 3-19
May The 4th Be With You – The Music Of Star Wars
Feel the force of the music of Star Wars flowing through you with Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, May 4
Orchestra Unplugged: Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture
Memphis Symphony Orchestra Music Director Robert Moody brings you inside the minds and music of composers to discover new connections and meaning to incredible works of art.
Halloran Centre for Performing Arts, May 9
Constellations
Quark Theatre presents a play about free will and friendship, but also about quantum multiverse theory, love, and honey.
TheatreSouth, May 10-26
The Hot Wing King
Katori Hall’s searing new comedy that follows a group of friends as they prepare for the “Hot Wang Festival” in Memphis.
The Circuit Playhouse, May 10-June 2
Buckman Dance Conservatory’s Spring Celebration of Dance
An enchanting celebration of ballet and contemporary dance.
Buckman Performing Arts Center, May 10-12
Symphony in the Gardens
The annual Mother’s Day outdoor celebration in a beautiful outdoor setting featuring the MSO Big Band.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, May 12
Opera Memphis: La bohème
Puccini’s timeless classic of youth, love, and freedom in a brand-new production.
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, May 17-18
Shrek the Musical
This Tony Award-winning fairy tale musical adventure brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life.
Orpheum Theatre, May 31-June 2
AROUND TOWN
Resident Artist Talks
Crosstown Arts’ spring 2024 resident artists will present artist talks.
Crosstown Arts, March 20
Metal Petals & Healing Roots
A one-day event where artists will create art from disassembled gun parts.
Metal Museum, March 23
Art by Design
A curated series of events and presentations designed to highlight Memphis’ interior design community and simultaneously support the local arts community.
Agricenter International, April 3-7
Barrel to Barrel Grand Auction
Enjoy exclusive wine pairings, premium bourbon tastings, incredible wine and bourbon pulls, and a grand auction filled with unique experiences, rare vintages, and whole barrels of bourbon.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, April 6
Central to the Arts Festival
Celebrate the arts with live performances, film showings, fashion shows, and interactive arts booths.
University or Memphis, April 6
Art in The Loop 2024
A juried artists market, plus craft demonstrations and performances of classical music.
Ridgeway Loop Road, April 12-14
Playhouse on the Square’s 46th Annual Art Auction
Over 150+ local and regional artists have donated their one-of-a-kind masterpieces to be bid on.
Playhouse on the Square, April 20
Chalkfest 2024
Join local artists and transform the Brooks’ plaza into the most colorful work of art.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, April 27
Spring to Art with Creative Aging
Activities, performances, and discussions for art lovers 65+ and carers.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, April 30
2024 Art For All Festival
Arts and culture will showcase performances and art-making from across Shelby County through live performances, artist markets, food trucks, and more.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, May 11
Here Comes the Sun Community Day
Enjoy art making, garden tours, musical performances, and more at this community gathering designed for all ages.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, May 11