‘Continuity’ at Helms Theatre through 11/8

Satire, spectacle, and environmental consciousness collide in Bess Wohl’s Continuity, a dark and hilarious “play in six takes” directed by UVA faculty member Doug Grissom. The narrative centers on the making of a blockbuster—but artsy—action movie in the New Mexico desert. As the film’s exhausted cast and crew race to finish production, personalities clash, artistic […]

Acclaimed artist Wolfgang Buttress designs a community treasure

Known for his large-scale immersive installations that incorporate sculpture and technology to explore environmental themes, British artist Wolfgang Buttress’ reputation was established with 2015’s “The Hive,” a bee-centric work that won 27 awards and is now permanently installed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. Thanks to a generous gift to University of Virginia’s […]

Kathryn Scanlan discusses the uncanny in real life

Known for her honed and exacting prose, Kathryn Scanlan is a writer of essays and novels, including Aug 9—Fog, The Dominant Animal, and Kick the Latch. From her tightly constructed short stories to novels informed by real-life stories and research, Scanlan is intensely dedicated to form and craft.  In her “Notes on Craft,” published in […]

November Exhibitions

Saturday 11/8 & Sunday 11/9 Now in its 31st year, the Artisans Studio Tour offers opportunities for the public to experience the work spaces of Central Virginia’s finest artists, craftspeople, and makers. This weekend, 47 artisans open their spaces for A Journey Through Artful Lives and Timeless Craft, providing visitors with insights and explorations of […]

Local group preserves Violet Crown by arranging building purchase

The future of the Violet Crown cinema on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall seemed bleak this past February when the Board of Architectural Review granted Heirloom Development approval to demolish the structure for a residential building.  “The prospect of losing this cultural asset for the Virginia Film Festival, the community, and for the city itself was potentially […]

Karen Hao’s new book explores the impact of artificial intelligence

Whether you embrace artificial intelligence or not, it seems almost mystical in its abilities—despite the fact that it was created by humans. It can also feel unreal that asking ChatGPT to write an email actually reflects billions of dollars, millions of gallons of water daily, and countless jobs being streamlined out of existence. Award-winning journalist […]

Monica Ong’s ‘Planetaria’ asks us to look further

Monica Ong is a visual poet and author of the new book Planetaria. With a focus on family and diaspora as well as astronomy, the poems in Planetaria are tactile—not just visual but multidimensional. The book features a poem that takes the form of a wheel that’s viewed through a View-Master toy, a poem with […]

October Exhibitions

Friday 10/3 through Friday 11/21 Second Street Gallery presents two new exhibitions exploring the passage of time and its effects on aesthetics and materiality. In the Main Gallery, “Time and Again” features mixed media and installation pieces by JMU professor Corinne Diop, who works in photo-based processes. In the Dové Gallery, “What Remains” features mixed […]

VAFF 38 kicks it off with Boss biopic

Virginia Film Festival Executive Director Jody Kielbasa and Artistic Director Ilya Tovbis appeared on the Paramount stage on Tuesday evening to announce the 38th Annual Virginia Film Festival. The 2025 VAFF program features more than 120 films from Hollywood giants, Virginia and international filmmakers, plus topical documentaries, and a wide range of special guests across […]

‘Gullah Meditations’ at University Baptist Church 9/27

In a performance that combines elements of opera, gospel, jazz, dance, and theater, Victory Hall Opera presents Gullah Meditations—the first significant new arrangements of “unknown” Gullah Geechee spirituals in 100 years. Tenor Victor Ryan Robertson and his collaborator, pianist Adrianne Duncan, produced the new arrangements based on 19th-century spirituals born out of the distinct culture […]