News Roundup: Re-openings, a Telethon, Music Series…
Since Gov. Greg Abbott gave the green light for businesses and institutions to reopen – however cautiously – and a good number have done just that, hoping to slowly return to a more normal life. And at least two San Antonio museums have announced that they will be re-opening later this month.
The Briscoe Western Art Museum is getting ready to welcome visitors to “roam our spacious halls, explore the outdoor sculpture garden and enjoy our historic space along the banks of the San Antonio Riverwalk.” Sound enticing?
The re-opening will happen in two stages: members only on May 21-22, and a general opening on May 23 with half-priced admission during the entire Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25. Healthcare workers will receive free admission not just for one weekend but for the entire simmer 2020.
In addition to seeing the Briscoe’s permanent exhibits, visitors will also have the unique opportunity to explore the Night of Artists Exhibition and Art Sale, an annual showcase of more than 300 new works by 80 contemporary Western artists from all over the U.S. The opening of that show had to be moved online a couple of months ago due to COVID-19 -caused restrictions on public gatherings. So, this is your first chance to actually see these arts works in person. If you like Western art and Western tales, this is the show you don’t want to miss.
And the good news doesn’t stop there. To honor mothers, the Briscoe is also offering Mother Day’s membership specials which can be ordered online. In addition, you can purchase gifts for Mom from the museum’s gift shop for curbside delivery.
As may be expected, a number of safety measures such as regular cleaning and sanitizing, plexiglass shields where appropriate, and masks for the staff, will be implemented, and interactive media and displays will be off limits. For details check the museum’s website.
To watch a promo video for the Night of Artists go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkoiGLITn1A&feature=youtu.be
For admission specifics go to https://supportbriscoemuseum.org/briscoe-admission#overlay-context=user
The Witte Museum is preparing to reopen as well but not until May 30, though members will be allowed back on May 27. The home of “Everything Texas” will once again be open for visitors but at a reduced capacity in accordance with safety rules. And, like the Briscoe, the museum will implement a range of safety measures. All permanent exhibits will be open to the public. Buy tickets online: www.wittemuseum.org
A major event this weekend is the VIVA! online telethon organized to raise funds for the Corona Arts Relief Program run by the Luminaria Artist Foundation. The money raised will help artists who have lost income due to cancellations of arts events. Country singer/songwriter, Garret T. Capps, will host the telethon from his club The Lonesome Rose from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday. More than 150 artists submitted videos of their work to be shown during the telethon, and there’s even a pre-show showcasing a number of San Antonio arts institutions. For more information and instructions on how to watch, read the feature story on this site “Telethon to Help SA Artists.”
And speaking of help, the San Antonio Airport has organized another series of virtual concerts to assist musicians at this time of need. Launched in April, the inaugural series attracted 30,000 viewers. The May edition is similar in format, with something happening every day. Blues, rock, country, acoustic pop, classical guitar, funk, uplifting songs, songs of love, inspirational numbers, and just about every other popular music genre is represented. These mini concerts take place on specific days at specific times, so keep that in mind. Among the musicians featured are the following: Rudy Harst, Jaime Varela, Frank Jarossi, Ashley Lucero, Misha Allyse, Sierra Brown, Big John Mills, Matthew Parker, Sean Slater, and others.
On the visual arts front, the San Antonio Art League and Museum is getting ready to unveil its 90th annual juried exhibition on Friday, May 15, the museum’s first ever digital exhibit. Sixty works by Texas artists were chosen from a field of more than 450 submissions. In the foreword to the show’s catalog, SAALM president Lyn Belisle Kurtin wrote: “We believe that one of the best ways to bring joy in difficult times is through the arts. The art work presented (in this exhibition) is some of the best in the state, perhaps in the country.”
The top award winners will also be announced May 15. What’s more, you will be able to purchase the art piece that speaks to you in a special way. For us it was “Birthplace” by Daniel Brents, but we loved a bunch of others, too. (Full disclosure: we got a sneak preview of some of the work.) More about this great show later. www.saalm.org
The San Antonio Museum of Art has some interesting online programming these days. If you had the opportunity to see the unique exhibit of Texas female abstract artists either in person or online, you’ll probably enjoy the live conversation with artist Liz Ward that’s included in SAMA’s newsletter. Her work was inspired by old maps of the Mississippi River and the human histories entwined with the mighty waterway. This is a very abbreviated description of her sophisticated and engaging art that you can see in the video.
On May 12, the online conversation will be with San Antonio artist Hiromi Stringer. You have to register for it; admission $25-$30.
And here’s a musical treat, the performance of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan that took place during last year’s Mariachi Extravanganza here in San Antonio.