Community Calendar

Deos Contemporary Ballet’s fan-favorite winter repertory ballet performance returns for one powerful weekend, blending bold new works with iconic choreography.

The program features the world premiere of “Trojan Women” by Tess Sinke, inspired by Euripides’ timeless tragedy and exploring resilience, loss, and survival in the aftermath of war. Balancing the evening is Dennis Spaight’s “Crayola” -- a rare, historic ballet performed entirely in silence -- and “Lamentation Variations,” presented in collaboration with the Martha Graham Dance Company, examining grief, hope, and human connection.

Honoring legendary choreographers while amplifying local contemporary voices, EMBER Series 26 offers an intimate, emotionally charged night of dance—on stage for one weekend only.

March 21–22
St. Cecilia Music Center
Grand Rapids, MI
Tickets & info: deosballet.com

Deos Contemporary Ballet’s fan-favorite winter repertory ballet performance returns for one powerful weekend, blending bold new works with iconic choreography.

The program features the world premiere of “Trojan Women” by Tess Sinke, inspired by Euripides’ timeless tragedy and exploring resilience, loss, and survival in the aftermath of war. Balancing the evening is Dennis Spaight’s “Crayola” -- a rare, historic ballet performed entirely in silence -- and “Lamentation Variations,” presented in collaboration with the Martha Graham Dance Company, examining grief, hope, and human connection.

Honoring legendary choreographers while amplifying local contemporary voices, EMBER Series 26 offers an intimate, emotionally charged night of dance—on stage for one weekend only.

March 21–22
St. Cecilia Music Center
Grand Rapids, MI
Tickets & info: deosballet.com

Hughie Lee-Smith was a 20th century African American painter and art instructor. Growing up in the Midwest, he created a prolific collection of paintings that predominantly featured figures in urban and rural settings. Lee-Smith’s often enigmatic works explored themes of isolation, expectation, and loneliness. Regrettably, he was not as well recognized as many of his contemporaries. During this ArtBreak talk, learn more about this remarkable artist with KIA docent Dr. Sam Grossman, then visit our lower level galleries to view Lee-Smith’s The Spectators.

Dr. Sam Grossman is a long-time docent of the KIA. He also is a frequent instructor with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, teaching a variety of topics. Sam is a retired pediatrician; prior to medical school, he was an associate professor of theatre arts.

All hybrid events will be livestreamed to our YouTube page and can be found under the “Live” tab. Recordings of select past events are available on YouTube as well.

Join us for Sneaker Culture Night featuring music, food, and an engaging presentation. Dr. Delisia Matthews will share her research on Sneaker Culture by highlighting its historical roots, the unique language and behaviors of consumers, and the deep ties of the culture to music. Additionally, this discussion will explore how sneaker collecting connects to fatherhood and legacy, while inviting the audience to connect through their own sneaker narratives.

Dr. Delisia Matthews is an Associate Professor at North Carolina State University in the Wilson College of Textiles whose research explores consumer behavior and trends, sneaker culture and the cultural meanings behind consumer decision-making. With a background in marketing research and retail at companies like Procter & Gamble, Nordstrom, and Walmart, she blends industry insight with scholarship. An award-winning educator, Dr. Matthews uses qualitative research to center consumers’ voices, tell their stories, and advocate for the communities behind the culture.

Please note that this event will not be livestreamed or posted on YouTube.

Pine Needle Weaving Workshop
Saturday, March 28, 10 am – 1 pm
Audience: Adults
Meet: Classroom

Dip your toes into an age old skillset and learn how to weave traditional forms out of pine needles. Join Lea Sevigny of Joyful Wildcrafting for an in-depth and hands-on learning experience. Participants will learn the fundamentals of pine needle basket weaving, and walk away with a woven coaster of their own design!

Fee: Members $28, Non-Members $35 Please register.

From Cobalt to Indigo: The Power of Blue in East Asia is an exploration of one of the most enduring and influential colors in global art history. Spanning centuries of Chinese and Japanese creativity, the exhibition traces how the color blue—once among the rarest and most prized pigments—shaped artistic innovation, cultural exchange, and aesthetic identity across East Asia.

From the luminous depths of cobalt-painted porcelain to the brilliance of carved lapis lazuli and the bold Prussian blue of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, this exhibition brings together works that illuminate the remarkable journey of blue across materials and artistic traditions. From Cobalt to Indigo will explore symbolism, craftsmanship, technological advancements, and cross-cultural influences. It showcases blue as both a material and an evolving metaphor. This exhibition invites audiences to see a familiar color anew and to experience the profound beauty and cultural resonance of blue in East Asian art.

The exhibition will be on view through July 12.

Image Credit: Matsutani Fumio, Sō (Blue) D-3, 2020, stoneware. Joy Light East Asian Art Acquisition and Exhibition Fund, 2021.1.

Join us for a family-friendly exploration of some of the shoes featured in Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks! All ages are welcome to join in the conversation as we observe shoe designs of the past, present, and future.

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum, and curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum.

Please note that this event will not be livestreamed or posted on YouTube.
Gallery Gatherings are short, lightly-moderated conversations about selected artworks from ongoing exhibitions. Chairs and gallery stools are available for guests. This program is free, but preregistration is encouraged.

Put on your favorite pair of shoes and join us for a special night celebrating the artistry of footwear. Join us for a Gallery Gathering in Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting Edge Kicks at 5:30 before we kick off Explore and Create Night at 6pm. Continue to explore the exhibition and then create your own shoe-inspired artworks while enjoying some sweet treats. Come explore how design, craft, and imagination come together—one step at a time. This evening is appropriate for all ages.

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum, and curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum.

This April, we’re taking a blue adventure through From Cobalt to Indigo: The Power of Blue in East Asia! From prints to pottery, we’ll find out how artists from East Asia create beautiful blues and use them in their amazing artworks.

Please note that this event will not be livestreamed or posted on YouTube.
Take a Wonder Walk through the galleries! The walk will include close looking at a few artworks as well as gallery games and activities. This is a great way to introduce your little one to art and the museum. Wonder Walks is for children 2-4 years old (but all are welcome) and is free with the cost of admission. Caregivers must stay with their children at all times. Preregistration is encouraged. Adults, remember to register your children!

During this virtual ArtBreak, learn more about Nick La Marca, the multimedia artist whose Sole Lines installation is on view in the KIA lobby. La Marca is an artist and documentarian working across photography and installation. Born and raised in the Bronx, his practice is deeply informed by the city’s cultural vibrancy and diversity. La Marca’s work engages art and design as forms of social practice, using creativity as a bridge between personal narrative, community histories, and broader societal issues. At the core of his projects is a commitment to recognition and research–illuminating local or “micro” concerns and situating them within larger cultural or economic frameworks. His installations and photographic works often serve as platforms for dialogue, highlighting how lived experiences intersect with questions of value, identity, and community. Through this approach, La Marca positions art as both a document and an agent of change, underscoring its ability to connect creativity with social responsibility.

All hybrid events will be livestreamed to our YouTube page and can be found under the “Live” tab. Recordings of select past events are available on YouTube as well.