Creativity Continues

The Texas arts groups offering virtual access to music, museums, and more

Ticket-holders can watch a taped performance of the Alley Theatre's 1984.

Photo by Lynn Lane

Everything's canceled, but that doesn't mean you're limited in what you can enjoy from home right now. Arts groups all across Texas are streaming concerts, opera, dance, and even museum tours for free during the coronavirus quarantine, and we're adding more as they come in.

The Alley Theatre
Patrons can watch a taped performance of the recently canceled 1984. Current ticket holders will be sent a password protected link, and those who would like to still watch are welcome to purchase tickets to gain access to the link.

Houston Symphony
You can listen to Houston Public Media broadcasts and national broadcasts anytime on the symphony's website, or tune in to I Heart Radio to hear selected albums.

ROCO
The Houston-based music ensemble has its entire archive of audio and video recordings available online, including a number of its more than 100 world-premiere commissions (and several of which were also included in the Grammy-winning debut album Visions Take Flight).

Ars Lyrica Houston
The early music ensemble has created two new series: Musical Moments and Concerts & Conversations. All of their content will be aired on their social media platforms as well as newsletters and YouTube. They will be posting new content on Mondays and Fridays at 10 am.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Following the closing of the Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind exhibition, you can now virtually explore real fossils that belonged to two very ancient relatives: Homo naledi (a.k.a. Neo) and Australopithecus sediba (a.k.a. Karabo). Plus follow the extraordinary journey of the scientists actively working on and researching these two new fascinating species. The 360-degree tour is available here.

The Cliburn
The esteemed classical piano music organization has announced three new online initiatives: Cliburn Watch Party, to relive some of the best moments of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition; Cliburn Kids, music fun for little ones; and Cliburn Amateur Spotlight, performance videos submitted by the 72 amateur pianists who were accepted as competitors or festival participants. Weekly schedules will be announced each Sunday.

Fusebox Festival
The Austin festival originally scheduled for April 15-19 will now go digital; keep an eye on the Facebook page for updates about how to watch and listen.

Black Fret
Celebrate the Austin music scene in a safe and responsible way through a livestream of Austin Love & Lightstream, a local response to the cancelation of SXSW. Closed to the public and taking place on a sterilized outdoor sound stage at Scholz Garten, Austin bands and personalities will be livestreamed six hours a day starting at 4 pm each day, beginning March 17. Viewers can access the Facebook Live stream from the Black Fret website.

Erykah Badu
The singer is performing her Quarantine Concert Series: Live From My Bedroom on Instagram, with each concert only costing a dollar to watch.

Dallas Theater Center
A video was taken of the final dress rehearsal for American Mariachi, a new work by José Cruz Gonzalez about a young woman who forms the first all-female mariachi band in the 1970s, despite disapproving relatives and going against social norms. Patrons are encouraged to pay-what-you-can — starting at $15 — to receive a link and a password to access the recording within 24 hours. Purchasers will have up to two weeks to watch the video. Dallas Theater Center is allowed to sell the video up to the original close date of April 5, 2020; after that, it will be deleted. The number of videos for sale is the same as the number of seats available throughout the run, so patrons are encouraged to buy their "tickets" soon.

Avant Chamber Ballet
Watch the 360-degree world premiere video of 19th Amendment recorded on February 15, 2020, at Moody Performance Hall, spotlighting choreographer Katie Puder and composer Quinn Mason.

American Baroque Opera Company
Enjoy the full-length production of La Serva Padrona by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.

Dallas Museum of Art
Browse more than 25,000 works of art from all cultures and time periods.

Thin Line Fest and Dallas VideoFest
The Denton-based multidisciplinary festival will be streaming its selection of documentaries online March 25-29, while Dallas VideoFest will host its Alternative Fiction festival April 3-5. Featuring a curated collection of over 50 documentary features and shorts, Thin Line Fest's film division will stream all screenings and Q&A sessions online. Attendees will be able to login at www.thinline.us and then choose which "theater" to stream live. The fest will still hold its Photography & Film Award Ceremony, which will be live-streamed on March 29.

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If you have a virtual concert or artwork that can be enjoyed from home during this time, email lindseyw@culturemap.com and we'll add you to the ever-growing list.

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Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

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