Next Best Thing | April 28, 2021
The Starlite Drive-In has been a great option for watching movies on the big screen this past year, and tomorrow is a special Art House at the Drive-In screening presented by mama.film and Wichita Jazz Festival.
At 8:30 p.m., catch Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings The Band, profiling the jazz pianist, composer and innovator. The screening also includes a filmmaker Q&A with the film’s director, hosted by KMUW’s Carla Eckels. Details are at mama.film.
Like many annual events, the Society of Professional Journalists’ presentation of Gridiron took a hiatus last year, but it makes its triumphant return this Friday and Saturday. The original stage production stars local media professionals poking fun at the year’s news and newsmakers. Most importantly, it raises funds for journalism scholarships.
Naftzger Park, downtown at the corner of Douglas and St. Francis, has three upcoming events.
First up is SHiNE Dance Fitness a dance workout for ages 8 and up at 10 a.m. this Saturday. That’s followed by the Wichita Community Children’s Choir spring concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Then, at 1 p.m. on April 25, the Wichita Symphony Youth Orchestras presents “Playing in the Park.” This performance will feature winners of the youth talent competition and student chamber groups. Information on all three can be found at naftzgerpark.com.
Wichita Art Museum and the Ulrich Museum of Art both have family friendly events scheduled for Saturday, April 24. And there’s plenty of time to make it to both, for a full day of creative fun.
What Spring Looks Like in Every State, in Photos
By Laura Ratfliff, Stacker News
On 3/5/21 at 6:30 PM EST
Craig Sterken / Shutterstock
Slowly but surely, Americans are shedding their coats and heading outdoors to embrace the welcomed change of seasons as Spring unfolds around the country. Using historical weather data and various event listings, we ve gathered 50 different looks at spring around the country.
Average spring temperatures throughout the U.S. fluctuate dramatically, from a brisk 24.7 degrees Fahrenheit in Alaska to a mild 69.9 degrees Fahrenheit in Florida. Across the whole country, the average spring temperature sits at 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on where you live, spring temperatures may mean a long-awaited thaw, buds appearing on trees, or the familiar sound of songbirds returning for the season.
Next Best Thing | February 17, 2021
February is Black History Month, and there are several local opportunities to be entertained and informed this month and well beyond.
This Thursday at 6:30 p.m., the WSU Office of Diversity and Inclusion presents Dr. Robert E. Weems, Jr. who you know as a commentator for KMUW’s Past & Present giving a keynote address titled “Whatever Happened to ‘Black Capitalism?’ The Decline of Public Discussion About African American Economic Development Since the 1960s.” Register for this live stream event at wichita.edu/diversitylectureseries.
On Friday, Friends University is hosting the Black Artist Series with virtual community workshops and masterclasses offered throughout the day. The impressive lineup of presenting guest artists will cover topics like African Americans in Theatre, Crafting Your Career, and Industry Q&A’s. The schedule and registration form is at friends.edu/black-artist-series.
Ulrich Museum of Art unveils four new exhibitions
Installation shot of the exhibition Gordon Parks: I, too, am America.
WICHITA, KAN
.- After a challenging 2020 that saw Wichita State University s art museum close to the public for much of the year, the Ulrich Museum of Art is finally open again.
On display now: Gordon Parks: I, too, am America; Renée Stout: Ghosts; The XIII Faculty Biennial: Its All Part of the Process; and Solving for X=Identity: Sharing Matrilineal Memories at WSU. The exhibitions will remain on display at the Ulrich through May 8, 2021.
Also on Artdaily
The spring exhibitions offer a broad range of subjects for consideration, from the social justice themes of Kansas-born photographer Gordon Parks to issues of Black diasporic culture in Renée Stouts Ghosts to the demonstration of artistic process in the 23rd faculty biennial. The latest installment of the Solving for X series, Solving for X=Identity, offers a view into the research of a team of dan