Arts Alive San Antonio

In the coming days, San Antonio will celebrate the World Heritage Festival that honors and commemorates UNESCO’s designation of the historic Spanish Missions as a World Heritage Site. All cities in the world that are also blessed with this coveted designation are urged by the global Organization of World Heritage Cities, to protect and promote their respective sites.

The first San Antonio fest was supported by the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, San Antonio River Authority, the National Park Service, the Alamo, Mission Heritage Partners and Las Misiones. It continues to be an annual collaborative event to celebrate the Missions as a UNESCO site, “and to raise funds to promote and connect,” according to the festival’s website.

A number of events are lined up, including art exhibits, music and movies, educational-historical presentations, Mission tours and a “Caring for Creation” mass.

Sept. 7 – Outdoor Exhibit opening at 7 p.m.- GWANGIU: City of Light and Democracy; Mission Marque Plaza, 3100 Roosevelt Ave., 78214; free and open to the public; on view through Oct. 14. Gwangiu is a San Antonio sister city in S. Korea. The event is co-presented by the Korean American Cultural Center of San Antonio and others; music, food, and Korean dance will be part of the festivities.

Sept. 8 – The Mission For Water: Building San Antonio’s Acequia System; The Alamo, 300 Alamo Plaza, 78205; free and open to the public; expert speakers on the science and history of the acequia system. Pre-registration is required, https://thealamo.org/visitmission-for-water

Sept. 8 – Gwangju Art Exhibition opening, Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave.; 6-8 p.m.; free

Sept. 9 – Music & Movie Under the Stars, Mission Marque Plaza, 3100 Roosevelt Ave., 78214; free

Sept. 10 – Tour de Las Misiones; 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.; bike ride, walk and run. .

Sept. 10 – Junior Ranger Day, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Mission Espada, 10040 Espada RD., 78214; free

Sept. 11 – El Camino de San Antonio: Caring for Creation Mass; 8 -10 a.m.; Mission Espada; free (starts with mariachi mass; includes Care for Creation Walk to San Juan, and the Blessing of Mission San Juan.)

For more info contact the World Heritage Office at 210-207-2111 or go to https://www.worldheritagefestival.org

On the visual art front, the most unusual exhibit is probably the Sacred Art of Altars: One People Many Paths, organized by the Celebration Circle, an inclusive, multi-faith community with a creative approach to spirituality. As in previous years, local artists were invited to express their creativity by transforming identical wooden boxes into altars that reflect their own spiritual concerns. Installed at the San Antonio Art League & Museum, the range of themes and media, all packed into these small ­nichos are pretty fascinating. The show is the annual fundraiser for Celebration Circle, and all altars are available for bidding, starting with the low price of $75. (For more info, read our article from Sept. 30 on this site. You can see the altars in-person at SAALM but you have to bit online: www.celebrationcircle.org/altarshow)

The Fotoseptiembre Festival is in full swing even though September has just started. A unique exhibit, that we told you a bit in last week’s NEWS ROUNDUP, can be seen at the San Antonio Center of Photography. Titled “Septua,” it consists of photos that photographer Reg Campbell took while documenting his own battle with leukemia, which he ultimately lost. He died in May 2020. His exhibition was expected to open in March of that year, but was cancelled due to COVID-19. The current exhibit honors his memory. (Opens Sept. 2, 6-9 p.m., through Dec. 2; San Antonio Center of Photography, 724 S. Alamo St., Ste 3, 78205; www.thephotocenter.org)

“A Man with a Movie Camera” is a 1029 film directed by Soviet-era director and film innovator, Dziga Vertov, that basically captures daily life in Moscow, Kyev and Odessa, using a range of cinematic techniques, such as multiple exposures, fast motion, freeze-frames, and others. He was criticized at the time but now his film is considered one of the best ever made. Thanks to Austin-based Montopolis  chamber ensemble, San Antonians have an opportunity to see the historic film accompanied by a live original score, written by the group’s artistic director, Justin Sheburn. (Saturday at 8 p.m.; Brick at Blue Star, #108; $10 through www.eventbrite.com)

Artpace is about to open “The Sacred Portal of Amaxctli (place where the waters split), featuring the work of San Antonio artist, Luis Valderas, who received the city’s Department of Arts & Culture 2022 Individual Artist Grant. The installation, on view in the Main Space gallery, is inspired by ancient Mesoamerican portals. (Sept. 8, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023.; Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave., 78205; 210-212-4900; https://artpace.org)

San Antonio theaters are regaining momentum and offering a good range of choices. To begin with, The Classic Theater of San Antonio, is getting ready to open “Roosters,” a popular and critically praised play about a generational conflict in a campesino Hispanic family, that also veers into magical realism here and there. Written by the talented playwright, Milcha Sanchez-Scott, and directed by the also very talented, Jose Ruben de Leon, the play will be presented outdoors at the downtown spot, called, La Zona. (Opens Sept. 8, runs through Sept. 25, La Zona, 333 West Commerce St., 78205; performances start at 7:30 p.m.; for tickets, $24-$39 plus convenience fee, go to https://ci.ovationtix.com/36094/production/1129574?performanceId=11112230)

The Musical, “American Mariachi” will open at the Public Theater of San Antonio next week. (To learn more about the Public’s season, including this show, read AASA’s article from Aug. 23, on this site)

This weekend is also your last chance to see the beloved musical, “A Chorus Line” at the Woodlawn Theater. We believe this is the company’s last production before moving to a new location at the Wonderland of the Americas Mall, and changing its name. (Three shows remain, Friday-Sunday, and there’s also a cheaper teen edition. (Woodlawn Theater, 1920 Fredericksburg Rd., 78201; tickets $18-$32, box office 210-267-8388, www.woodlawntheatre.org)

The Boerne Community Theater is presenting what looks like an entertaining play: “The Lion in Winter,” about King Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, who are celebrating Christmas with their sons, “as they grapple with who will inherit the throne.” (Every family has its little ups & downs!) {Boerne Community Theater, 907 E. Blanco, 78006; 830-249-9166; tickets $18-$24; Thursday-Sunday through Sept. 18; www.boernetheatre.org)

And Aria Creative Productions, has announced a brand-new comedy, a world premiere of “Un Nuevo Capitulo: An American Novella” by Patricia Zamora. Will tell you more about it in a few days.

September is also the start of many music seasons, and the first out of the gate is Agarita, which will present the opening concert of the new season this Saturday. The quartet will perform with two guest artists from the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet – Ilmar Gavilan and Jaime Amador. The six of them promise “a night of blockbuster classics” by Mozart, Mendelson and Schuman; fresh works by Paul Wiancko, Aaron Jay Kernis, and Paul Coletti… and a “scintillating Cuban work by Guido Lopez-Gavilan”. If you are nor familiar with some of those names, the concert is a great opportunity to hear unfamiliar music. A reception will follow. (Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry; free but you should reserve tickets, agaritachamberplayers@gmail.com; www.agaritachamberplayers,com)

The Hill Country Chorale will host a reception for new and returning members, which will be held at Ryan Hall, First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville, on Monday Sept. 5, at 6:30 p.m. The reception is an opportunity to get acquainted with the organization, meet members and hear a talk by the Chorale’s director, Claire Tabson. A singer’s fee of $30 is required of persons choosing to join the Chorale. (First Presbyterian Church Kerville, 800 Jefferson St., 78028; 830-321-0303; https://hillcountrychorale.org)

Tobin Entertainment is bringing the band Modest Mouse, to the Tech Port Arena this Saturday. The Portland-based rock band will be joined by The Cribs, a British indie-rock group. (Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Tech Port Arena, 3331 General Hudnell Dr.; 210-600-3699; www.techportcenter.com)

Three concerts by the legendary Texas artist, Robert Earl Keen, will take place at the John T. Floore’s Country Store this weekend, but all three are sold out. He is retiring from touring and these concerts are his way of saying goodbye to his many fans. (Floore’s Country Store is at 14492 Old Bandera Rd. in Helotes; 210-695-8827; www.liveatfloores.com)

Mexican comedian, Mike Salazar will still entertain an audience at the Tobin Center Saturday night but his show has been relocated to the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater. (Sept. 3 at 8 p.m.; tickets@tobincenter.org)

Poetry lovers may want to attend another Status of Women Poetry Night, presented by the city’s Arts & Culture Department at the Culture Commons Gallery at Plaza de Armas. San Antonio’s hard-working poet laureate, Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, will serve as emcee for the evening. Reading their poems will be: Anel Flores, Bett Butler, Amalia Ortiz, Laura Van Prooyen, Jessica Herrera, Abril Garcia-Linn, Catherine Lee, Jo Reyes-Boitel, Sabrina San Miguel, Ilysha Thompson and Aminah Dece. We don’t know about the status of women in San Antonio, but it looks like the status of women poets is pretty good. (Sept. 7, 6-8 p.m.; Culture Commons Gallery, 115 Plaza de Armas, 78205; free)

And here’s a really fun and healthy event – or series of events – for all who love to dance. There’s probably no better aerobic exercise than folk dancing. Though dances vary from culture to culture, many are associated with festivities, meaning they are joyous, fun, and frequently very dynamic. You can join other folk-dance enthusiasts at regular dance nights at the Lions Field Adult Recreation Center. (Contact San Antonio Folk Dancers at 210-493-4629 or visit https://sanantoniofolkdancers.org)