Louisville Art's Scene this Week

Louisville is an amazing arts town and this week is an excellent example of why. This weekend is packed with a wide range of local theatre, visual art, and music performances that are sure to have you remembering why you are glad to call Louisville your home.  

Thursday, August 2 is the Shamrock Foundation’s Art for Animals fundraiser. The Shamrock Foundation has been helping curb annual overpopulation for 20 years with their spay and neuter program. This will be the 16th year of Shamrock’s Art for Animal’s event, where local and national artists create original art for a live and silent auction. The event will also have live music, food, beer wine and bourbon and us sure to be a blast. The fundraiser will be at the Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center Thursday night at 6pm. Tickets are $75. For more information go to Shamrockpets.com/afta

August 2nd through August 4th, the Bardstown Road theatre venue, the Bard’s Town, is bringing a new play to Louisville. Samuel D Hunter’s “A Bright New Boise” is an award winning play about a former evangelical who takes a job at a  Hobby Lobby store to reconnect with his son. For more information on the play, and ticket information, for to thebardstowntheatre.org

“Gruesome Playground Injuries” is at the top of my list for the weekend. The play at Actors Theatre, is a dark comedy balancing the childish play between friends with the harsh realities of the pains of life. “Rajiv Joseph is such a smart writer and with “injuries’ he carefully guides us through two complete lives, encompassing the incredible highs and devastating lows that come with trying to love somebody, love yourself, and to just live through it all. It turns on a dime from hilarious to tender to brutal. A real feast for audiences.” say Theatre 502’s Co-Artistic Director Gil D Reyes in is his interview with Leo Weekly.“Gruesome Playground Injuries” runs from August 3rd to August 11th at Actors Theatre. For more information on play times and ticket info go to theatre502.org.  

There is an art exhibit at Zephyr Gallery that has been getting a lot of buzz around town. “Pressure” is not only a visual exhibit but an experience. Created by the Ground Floor Gallery, there are several elements to the exhibit working together to create the overall feel of “pressure.” The artist, JMS, has created large, polished wood structures, and text on the walls by AJB is used as another medium. There is a bumping soundtrack playing overhead by talented local DJ Alex Ferguson-Bell, half of OKDeeJays  and 91.9 Nightvisions Radio DJ. The closing reception is being held August 3rd, during the trolley hop from 6pm -9pm and cocktail and bar snacks will be served compliments of MEAT.

This is just the beginning of the art and entertainment going on this week in our city. The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft have two exhibits going on, Rufus Wainwright is playing at the Iroquois Amphitheatre on Sunday, and the Squallis Puppeteers are performing on Saturday. Don’t forget also about the many places that have exhibits all year round, like 21c museum and the JB Speed Art Museum. 

Take advantage of Louisville’s excellent arts resources!

Ilyse's Louisville