Upcoming Events
"Out of Bounds!" Art Exhibition
Art Center of Morro Bay proudly presents “Out of Bounds!” exhibition offered by The Pastel Society of the West Coast’s as their first open juried exhibition, an exhibition that fills both levels of the gallery.
SLO Rep Presents "I Hate Hamlet"
The San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre is thrilled to present I Hate Hamlet, Paul Rudnick’s witty and ghost-filled comedy, opening Friday, May 2 and running through Sunday, May 18. This fast-paced, laugh-out-loud play brings together Shakespeare, stage fright, swordfighting—and the ghost of a legendary actor.
"In Your Dreams" Exhibition
Black and white illustrations from the mind of Storie Grubb.
Sizzling Spring Senior BBQ
SLO Parks and Recreation invites Senior Center members for a free Santa Maria style tri-tip lunch. Enjoy food, lawn games, and good company with live music provided by local musicians, Mollie and Nathan!
Sign-ups required! Lunch is limited to the first 50 people. Sign up at the Senior Center or with Kacy at klesage@slocity.org and at (805)781-7303.
Art Talk Series: Rick and Lesley Chapman
The husband and wife team will share a collection of photos from their decades of work together, offering insights into how capturing a still image can be shaped by movement—and how movement itself can be reimagined through the photographic eye. This presentation will delve into the ongoing dialogue between the dancer, the photographer and the environment, where each influences and responds to the other in a bold and fluid exchange.
Petals in the Park: An Art-Making Luncheon
“Petals in the Park” invites community members ages 8 and up to engage with Studios on the Park’s artists as they lead hands-on art workshops in printmaking, pastels, and acrylics.
Community Reception: SLO County Arts and Culture Economic Impact Report
Join SLO County Arts on May 7th at the Octagon Barn for a Community Reception and Presentation on the newly released Arts & Culture Economic Impact Report, featuring insights from PolicyCraft Institute, LLC and a panel of leaders from San Luis Obispo County’s arts, culture, and economic sectors. This event will highlight the significant contributions of the arts to our local economy, exploring key findings, trends, and opportunities for strengthening San Luis Obispo’s creative industries. Engage with policymakers, business leaders, artists, and cultural advocates in a conversation about the future of our creative economy.
The Office of Collecting and Design: A Traveling Interactive Museum
The Bunker SLO is honored to host The Office of Collecting and Design, an interactive museum of “lost” and “forgotten” objects. The museum is often described as a “nostalgia machine,” transporting visitors into a world of delight, curiosity, and half-buried memories. The previous brick and mortar space has been transformed into a 42’ traveling museum, where visitors can open every drawer, explore every box, and engage in hands-on experiences like the Flatlay Session or Scavenger Hunt.
‘The Art of Musical Ornamentation’ Lecture-Demonstration
Mark Kroll will present a lecture-demonstration titled “The Art of Musical Ornamentation.” Kroll, a harpsichordist and Boston University professor emeritus, will explain how and why ornamentation has been utilized by a wide range of composers and theorists. He will also play examples and invite audience members to submit melodies that they would like for him to ornament.
SLO Book Bike Pop-Up
Visit the SLO Book Bike, a pop-up book shop run by SLO County Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols, and pick up a copy of The Tribune for a special SLO County poetry feature with local poets!
"Out of Bounds!" Awards Ceremony and Reception
Awards ceremony and reception for the Pastel Society of the west Coast’s “Out of Bounds!” exhibition with renowned British pastelist, Tony Allain.
Vieux Farka Touré
Often referred to as “The Hendrix of the Sahara”, Vieux Farka Touré is a singer, composer, and guitarist from Niafunké, Mali. His live performances are highly energized and Vieux is known for dazzling crowds with his speed and dexterity on the guitar, referencing elements of rock, Latin music, and other African influences to captivate all audiences in spite of any language barriers (though Vieux does speak 8 languages).
Civic Ballet of SLO Presents: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
In an enchanting, innovative ballet adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s masterpiece, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo will share the stage with an energetic 11-piece jazz orchestra.
Perfect for the entire family, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is sure to be a captivating presentation of “America’s greatest and best loved, home-grown fairytale.” (Library of Congress), featuring an all-new score based on some of the most influential music in the classic American songbook.
SLAM Screening at the SLO Film Center
In celebration of National Poetry Month, SLO County Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols is hosting a special screening of the 1998 film, Slam. Books from the SLO Book Bike will be available to purchase at this screening!
Written in the Waters: A Conversation with National Geographic Explorer in Residence Tara Roberts
Inspired by the stories of those who lost their lives during the Middle Passage, Tara Roberts decides to plumb her own family history. With the honesty of Elizabeth Gilbert, the rawness of Cheryl Strayed, the courage of Tara Westover, and the poetry of Jesmyn Ward, Roberts interweaves the voices of the past with her own present to confront the realities of the slave trade—and tell a deeper story of Black identity.
Revolutionary Letters In-Person Workshop
This in-person workshop with Tasia Trevino and Caleb Nichols will explore the revolutionary poetics of Diane di Prima and others, and encourage attendees to use the genre of letter-writing as a poetic point of departure.
The Arts Around Us: Sensorio's Bruce Munro & Nainita Desai
Join Studios on the Park for an inspiring conversation with artist Bruce Munro of Sensorio and award-winning composer Nainita Desai as they discuss their new exhibit at Sensorio, FOSO (Fiber Optic Symphonic Orchestra).
Revolutionary Letters Virtual Workshop
What shape does revolution take on the page? What do poems have to do with revolution, with revolt, with rising up? Can writing poetry move us into, through, and with other forms of political action? And what does the letter form have to do with that?
Conrad Tao & Caleb Teicher: Counterpoint
Counterpoint is a collaboration between pianist and composer Conrad Tao and choreographer and dancer Caleb Teicher. The duo explore the dichotomy of their different perspectives and artistic practices, expanding their individual expressive capacity through a collective experience. Harmonic, rhythmic, and theatrical counterpoint between the artists seeks to map out constellations linking their disparate traditions, driving the imagination and opening the heart. Experience two artistic disciplines seamlessly come together to create a vision one has to see to believe.
HOWL Screening at the SLO Film Center
In celebration of National Poetry Month, SLO County Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols is hosting a special screening of the 2010 film, Howl. Books from the SLO Book Bike will be available to purchase at this screening!
Sophie Shao Cello Recital
Sophie Shao presents a cello recital with guest pianist Qing Jiang for her first performance as the 2025 Artist-in-Residence with Festival Mozaic. This unique program celebrates the influence of composers on one another, with many of these composers having worked with the others as students. Join us as we inaugurate Ms. Shao's appointment to this special artistic role at Festival Mozaic.
Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned
Ira Glass is the creator, producer & host of This American Life, the iconic weekly public radio program with millions of listeners around the world. Using audio clips, music, and video, Ira Glass shares lessons from his life and career in storytelling: What inspires him to create? What drives his passion? How have failures and successes informed his decisions? During his presentation, Ira Glass will mix stories live onstage and help his audience better follow the creative process of one of our foremost storytellers.
Earth Day Art Show
This special exhibition brings together a group of exceptional artists whose work explores a mix of contemporary art and sustainable practices. The theme may be Earth Day, but the art itself is modern and innovative and speaks to a broader audience who appreciates cutting-edge creativity.
Art After Dark
Art After Dark is the FREE event where art, culture, and community come to life!
Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month
April is Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month in California - a time to celebrate and advocate for the arts! Learn more about the significance of this month, help advocate for restored funding to the California Arts Council, and more!
HAY FEVER Opening Reception
HAY FEVER, a new collection of work by Owen Blackwell, captures the tension between the aesthetic beauty and the overwhelming nature of springtime on the central coast: vibrant and textured paintings built through layers of meticulous patterning and raw disruption. Join us on March 29th from 6–8 PM to experience HAY FEVER, an exploration of color, memory, and the cyclical nature of creation.
Poetry Night at the Los Osos Library
You are invited to another in-person Poetry Night at the Los Osos Library on Thursday, March 20, 2025!
Featured poets will be Christopher Buckley from Santa Barbara and our former Poet Laureate of San Luis Obispo County, Kevin Clark. An open mic reading will follow a short intermission. The evening's theme will be "How the Universe Speaks to Us" though poets need not feel bound by it.
Sunny Jain's Wild Wild East
Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East encompasses myriad facets of Jain’s identity both as a first-generation South Asian-American and as a global musician, from his own family’s immigration story to his eclectic musical upbringing. In recasting the immigrant—steeped in the courage to leave a familiar homeland for a new beginning—as the modern-day cowboy and cowgirl, Jain sources musical inspiration from the scores of Bollywood classics and Spaghetti Westerns, Punjabi folk traditions, jazz improvisation, and rollicking psychedelic styles.
Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East is rooted in the contemporary global soundscape, singing in a new voice, “I am large, I contain multitudes.”
Art After Dark
Art After Dark is the FREE event where art, culture, and community come to life!
"Women's Work" Art Exhibition
Women’s Work is a collection of SLO County artists who challenge patriarchal norms, practice empathy, protest fascism, and find catharsis in expressing themselves through a variety of mediums. These artists define “women’s work”, as deconstructing gender norms, fighting for equality, and exercising intersectional feminism.
Guest curated by Lena Rushing
Craftmakers Brainstorm Brunch
This event is being hosted by the Central Coast Artists Collective Craftmakers Group. Members and non-members are welcome! You are encouraged to bring friends who might be interested in joining the Craftmakers Group. Light brunch buffet and hot and cold beverages provided.
SLO County Poetry Out Loud Competition
Join us at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art to support high school students across SLO County as they compete in the Poetry Out Loud recitation competition! The winning student will go on to Sacramento to represent SLO County in the California Poetry Out Loud Finals.
SLO Rep Presents Million Dollar Quartet
This electrifying musical, based on the legendary true story of one of the greatest rock-and-roll gatherings in history, will take audiences back to December 4, 1956, when four of the most iconic figures in music—Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins—came together for one unforgettable night at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee.
Art After Dark
Art After Dark is the FREE event where art, culture, and community come to life!
SLO County Poet Laureate Inaugural Reading
SLO County Arts invited you to celebrate the incoming San Luis Obispo County Poet Laureate, Caleb Nichols, with an inaugural reading on Friday, January 24th at the Octagon Barn in San Luis Obispo.
Reading alongside Caleb will be outgoing SLO County Poet Laureate Kevin Clark, California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick, and Cal Poly professor and poet MT Vallarta. Join us in highlighting and celebrating the work of poets residing in the state and county and the relaunch of the Poet Laureate program here in SLO County.
This event is free and open to all!