Arts

West Michigan's Arts & Entertainment Guide

George Bayard helped create the GRAAMA in large part to share stories and heirlooms from Grand Rapids' African American community.

Not Your Grandpa’s Museum: Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives opens downtown

Written by Justine Burdette | Wednesday, 28 December 2016 16:03 |

Just months after the National Museum of African American History finally opened in Washington, D.C., Grand Rapids got its own African American museum in the heart of downtown. George Bayard, owner of Bayard Art Consulting and Frameshop, led the charge on the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives (GRAAMA), which has now set up shop in a pop-up gallery space downtown.

Grand Rapids Symphony president and CEO leaves for Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Written by Revue Staff | Tuesday, 06 December 2016 15:41 |

Classical Music & Jazz

Peter Kjome, the president and CEO of Grand Rapids Symphony, has accepted a position as president and CEO of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Q&A: Kathy Bechtel, Gallery Manager at Frauenthal Center

Written by Marla R. Miller | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Visual Arts

As the new gallery manager at the Frauenthal Center in Muskegon, Kathy Bechtel hopes to increase daily traffic to the historic theater and for special events.

Chris Carsten as Jean Shepherd and Myles Moore as Ralphie in 'A Christmas Story.'

Send Off The Holidays With Broadway’s 'A Christmas Story'

Written by Marla R. Miller | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Theatre

A musical rendition of “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out” is just one part of a nostalgic holiday treat coming to Grand Rapids in a big way.

Global Talent: Brass Band of Battle Creek attracts musicians from around the world

Written by Jane Simons | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Classical Music & Jazz

Brothers and fellow podiatrists Bill and Jim Gray receive rock star treatment when they attend performances in other countries. However, they still remain largely unknown in the United States for their work to establish a world-class brass band named for their native Battle Creek.

Getting A Handel on the “Messiah”

Written by Reporter's Notebook by Samara Napolitan | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Classical Music & Jazz

Every season, choristers congregate between poinsettias and evergreens to lend their voices to the holiday spectacle. Among the winter-themed carols and sacred songs on concert programs, a venerable Yuletide musical tradition almost always claims a spot in the lineup: George Frederick Handel’s Messiah.

Man on a Journey by Joel Sheesley is part of Poetry of Content: Five Contemporary Representational Artists.

Poetry of Content Shines Spotlight on the Un-Abstract

Written by Justine Burdette | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Visual Arts

A typical preview of an art exhibition might start out with a Cliffs Notes version of Art History 101 to set the scene.

Signature Gallery in Kalamazoo opens annually, offering more than 20 artists the chance to sell their wares to the public just in time for the gift-giving season. The art spans a variety of media and size.

Making A Mark: Signature Gallery annually supports local artists

Written by Jane Simons | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Visual Arts

Holiday parades and pre-Black Friday sales signal the start of the holiday shopping season. But for people who seek locally made works of art, the opening of Signature Gallery in Kalamazoo is their sign.

Photo from The Preacher and His Congregation by James Perry Walker

Muskegon Museum of Art’s winter exhibits explore expressions of faith

Written by Marla R. Miller | Thursday, 01 December 2016 09:00 |

Visual Arts

Their faces, rich with expressions of struggle, joy and faithful devotion, tell the story of an enduring human spirit without saying a word.

Music education programs are bracing for growth as their funding returns, but advocates and educators like the Cook Arts Center (above) are still working to ensure every student is able to take part in that success.

Hitting the High Notes: With programs growing, music educators work to remove deep-seated barriers

Written by Josh Veal | Tuesday, 29 November 2016 14:37 |

Classical Music & Jazz

When budget cuts hit schools, the axe falls first on anything that’s not considered a “core subject.” For many school administrators, music education falls into the category of a luxury, rather than a necessity. In fact, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) put math, reading, science and social studies above all else. The arts simply weren’t considered essential to being “career ready.”