“Make Me Famous”

Providing a portrait of a time and place, Make Me Famous chronicles the Lower East Side contemporary art movement of 1980s New York City through dazzling archival footage and home video. Exploring the bohemian scene that produced artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Madonna, this feature-length documentary follows the story of the mostly […]

“As You Like It”

The UVA Department of Drama focuses on community engagement with its musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy As You Like It. The participatory staging includes UVA students and members of local arts organizations—from Charlottesville Ballet and the women of CLAW, to the young performers at DMR Adventures—in a story of acceptance that’s accompanied by a […]

A dual show at Phaeton Gallery interprets beauty in layers 

Currently on exhibition at Phaeton Gallery,  “Understory” features works by Charlottesville resident Krista Townsend and Nikki Hare of Tewkesbury, U.K., in a dynamic artistic dialogue about nature. The title refers to the zone of vegetation that exists between the forest floor and the forest canopy. Townsend approaches this directly, producing work developed and centered on […]

Dawn Hanson’s contemporary protest art at McGuffey Art Center

“What’s Left? What’s Right?,” an interdisciplinary exhibition of politically charged artworks by Dawn Hanson, leaves little question about where the artist stands in relation to the current presidential administration and conservative America at large.  The self-proclaimed Liberal Artist carries on a long lineage of creators who have used their work as forms of resistance and […]

Jack Stepanian

A buzz is building around Richmond guitarist and singer-songwriter Jack Stepanian. The young musician has already played several sold-out shows, blending blues and rock with lyrical storytelling that connects with listeners. Pop inflections bridge Stepanian’s sound into laidback listening, and his smooth voice and bluesy guitar riffs carry audiences into contemplative contentment. Wim Tapley & […]

Indie Short Film Festival

Whether you’re a fan of films or a filmmaker yourself (we know there’s a lot of local talent in the cinemascape), the 2025 Indie Short Film Festival brings plenty for movie-lovers. Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the festival returns with screenings, workshops, panel discussions, and an awards ceremony across five downtown venues. […]

“The Trip to Bountiful”

Penned by Horton Foote—famous for his adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, and considered one of the premier American playwrights—The Trip to Bountiful presents an engaging and affective narrative exploring place, nostalgia, and one’s sense of self. The elderly Carrie Watts lives in a cramped apartment with her work-worn middle-aged son and his overbearing wife. […]

The Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia

Old Cabell Hall, March 22 and March 23 As part of its 50th anniversary season, the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia offers a pair of what should be gripping and provocative performances. The program wastes no time in lunging for the heart with Samuel Barber’s well-known Adagio for Strings. The compact and passionate […]

José González

The Paramount Theater, March 21 Wistful and moving, José González’s soft voice and intricate finger-picking guitar elevate an otherwise indie rock formula with cavernous echoes of folk, classical, and quiet reflections of pop music. Originally finding some success with the outfit Junip, he has performed and recorded with a steady stream of collaborators ranging from […]