In an age of effortless access to music of all kinds, exploring the commonalities between seemingly disparate music styles is one way to make sense of it all. Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist Jeremy Crosmer are doing just that, deconstructing the stigmas associated with different genres through their acoustic string group, ESME. 

David Shannon’s work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, Time and Rolling Stone, but he found a true calling by going back to his childhood roots.

Supermarket stationary aisles are rife with cards cheekily announcing 40th birthdays as the harbinger of old age, the demise of youth, and the decline of usefulness. Meanwhile, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) is choosing instead to celebrate its 40th birthday as a milestone of achievement, with two massive exhibits celebrating diversity and representation.

For emerging artist Michelle Martin, events like Wine About Winter provide confidence, exposure and even some commission work.