Community Calendar

Between 1946 and 1953, Henri Matisse created 28 lithographic portraits for Poésies Antillaises (Antillean Poetry), a book of poems by John-Antoine Nau. Published posthumously in 1972, this rare volume remains one of Matisse’s least-known illustrated works.

Inspired by his brief 1930 visit to Martinique, Matisse translated Nau’s evocative poems—celebrating travel, music, and oceanic landscapes—into vibrant portraits. These reflect the artist’s collaborations with notable Caribbean and international models and are presented alongside works by two leading artists from Martinique and Guadeloupe, Germaine Casse and Serge Hélénon. This focus exhibition illuminates aspects of the transatlantic artistic circles active during the late French colonial period.

Opening Reception: March 21, 2026, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Contemporary Porcelain: From Tradition to Innovation explores the enduring legacy of porcelain while showcasing the bold ways artists are redefining this historic material today. Long celebrated for its refinement, translucency, and technical precision, porcelain has deep roots in global traditions.

Featuring works by contemporary ceramic artists, the exhibition highlights porcelain’s remarkable versatility. This exhibition invites viewers to reconsider what porcelain can be, and how tradition can spark transformation rather than limit it.

Participating Artists
Sam Chung, Elaine Coleman, Tom Coleman, Julia Galloway, Martha Grover, Bryan Hopkins, Cliff Lee, Heesoo Lee, Steven Young Lee, Kyounghwa Oh, Yoko Sekino-Bove

Also on Exhibition
Elements of Mechanisms
Elements of Mechanisms examines the intersection of form, function, and movement through works that draw inspiration from mechanical systems and engineered structures.

Community Arts Spring Showcase
The Community Arts Spring Showcase celebrates the creativity, voices, and shared experiences of our community.

The 2026 Artist Open Studios Tour is a free, self-guided experience that opens the doors of Maryland's visual artists on April 11 and 12 from 10 am - 5 pm, each day. Explore working studios, discover original work, and meet the creators behind it all, plus pop into participating galleries and museums along the way.

With artists working in painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and everything in between, there will be something amazing to discover. No tickets, no pressure, no crowds, just a beautiful weekend escape into Maryland's thriving arts scene, right in your backyard.  Head to artistopenstudios.com to view the tour directory and the tour map to plan your route.

Questions? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll get right back to you!

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Artist Open Studios, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization run entirely by volunteer artists.

On View February 4 - May 16 (closed March 15 - 22)

Explore the remarkable artistic journey and cultural legacy of Lain Singh Bangdel (1919–2002), widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Art” in Nepal. This collection of paintings—spanning the 1940s to the 1980s— reflects and reframes the cultural, political, and emotional realities of Bangdel’s time and traces his evolving vision as he navigated multiple worlds: colonial and postcolonial South Asia, cosmopolitan Europe, and an emerging modern Nepal.

Gallery Hours: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Staunton Music Festival presents its fifth annual BaroqueFest this April! BaroqueFest 2026: La Bella Italia assembles 28 superlative musicians for a sumptuous journey to Italy, including music by Italian masters and those who traveled to and through Italian lands. Featured works include Handel's brilliant first oratorio "Il Trionfo del tempo e del Disinganno" (1707); Vivaldi's "Magnificat"; concertos by Bach, Handel, Geminiani, and Vivaldi; a celebration of music at Dresden, the "Venice of the North"; and chamber and vocal music by A. Scarlatti, Pasquini, Lully, F. Caccini, Marenzio, Corelli, Monteverdi, and many others.

All concerts feature acclaimed period-instrument performers. Nine programs include music for voices, orchestra, and chamber ensembles and feature historical keyboards. Plus enjoy a deep-dive into Handel's Italian journey with an extended lecture over coffee and dessert just prior to the finale concert.

Experience the magic and humor of Ballet Chesapeake's "Cinderella" in a 1-hour, family friendly production.

Performances Sunday, April 12 at 1 pm & 4 pm.

Tickets available starting February 1 at balletchesapeake.org

Step into the shimmering world of The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams’ haunting and beautiful memory play that has captivated audiences for generations. This deeply moving story, rich with longing, fragile dreams, and unforgettable characters, reflects the heart-tugging tension between hope and reality—perfectly resonant for anyone who’s ever chased big dreams while holding tight to family ties. As the Wingfield family navigates love, loss, and the tug of the past, you’ll be drawn into a world as delicate and stunning as the glass menagerie itself. Join us at Church Hill Theatre for an evening of poetic drama and emotional depth that will stay with you long after the curtain falls. Don’t miss this regional favorite!

THE CRUCIBLE

BY ARTHUR MILLER
DIRECTED BY JULIE HERBER

APRIL 3 – 26

Preview April 2
ASL Interpreted Performance April 10

A group of teenage girls creates mass hysteria as they accuse fellow villagers of witchcraft in the rigid Puritan society of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The accused face the choice of maintaining their ideals or conforming in order to survive in this play about the dangers of unchecked fear, the fragility of justice, and the consequences of history.