Calendar of Events

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, May 20 - 24, 2026, at the Tennessee Theatre.

Be Our Guest at BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Disney’s first North American production of the beloved musical in over 25 years. This enchanting and timeless tale, filled with the romance and grandeur audiences know and love, has been brought to life like never before, with spectacular new sets and dazzling costumes. The show boasts the Oscar®-winning and Tony Award®-nominated score, including the classic songs “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Reuniting to create this new production are members of the original Tony Award®-winning artistic team, including composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, book writer Linda Woolverton, with direction and choreography by Matt West, scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward and lighting design by Natasha Katz. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the beloved musical that will fill your heart with joy and Disney magic.

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is returning to The Gateway in 2025 with free concerts!

• Friday, 5/20 at noon

We hope to see you there!
Parking is limited; additional parking at St. John's Lutheran Church, 544 N. Broadway

The Gateway, 503 W 5th Avenue, Knoxville
https://metrodrug.org/recovery-support/the-gateway/

Electricity for All examines the complex relationship between technology, information, and power through the historical framework of the Tennessee Valley Authority, a key New Deal initiative from the 1930s that introduced electricity to the Tennessee River Valley. The featured artists provide diverse perspectives on the social implications of technological advances, questioning the histories that were lost and the new narratives that emerged. Organized by the KMA.

For additional information and updates, follow the Knoxville Museum of Art on social media:
Facebook: Knoxville Museum of Art, Instagram: @knoxvillemuseumofart, X: @knoxart

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

Concerts on the Square Presented by Axle Logistics
Join us on Market Square, located in the heart of Downtown Knoxville for free concerts during the summer of 2025! Concerts on the Square presented by Axle Logistics will feature free concerts on Market Square with Jazz music on Tuesdays in May, June & September from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. and a variety of music genres on the Third Thursdays in the months of May-September.

Jazz Tuesdays 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
May 6- Margherita Fava and the Knoxville Jazz Workshop
May 13- Greg Tardy Quintet
*Opening performance with Karns Highschool Jazz Band starting at 5:30pm-6:15pm
May 20
May 27
June 3
June 10
June 17
June 24

https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/special_events/concerts_on_the_square

Observations and Imaginings - Watercolors and Drawings by Susan B Miller and Michael Pardee
The Schilling Gallery, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 South Northshore Drive
865-584-3957 or www.wpcknox.org

First Friday Reception: May 2nd, 5:30 - 9 pm
May Featured Artist

Kimberly Collins, Photography
Kimberly is a storyteller. Whether she’s weaving a tale of fiction or exploring the world through the camera lens, story is the ultimate goal. Kimberly’s photography covers many areas across the country, but her favorite subjects make their home in Appalachia
—wild horses in West Virginia, a stream in the Great Smoky Mountains, an ancient magnolia tree, or the delicate blooms on a dogwood. She hopes to share the magic and wonder of Appalachia through her photography. Kimberly is board member of the Art Market Gallery in Knoxville, Tennessee (2025). Kimberly is also a published author and her latest historical fiction series, Mingo Chronicles (Blood Creek and The Massacre), depicts the coal mine wars in West Virginia. Set in the early 1900s, this pivotal labor struggle includes one of the largest armed insurrections in the history of the United States. Kimberly is a writer, a photographer, a dreamer—creating worlds with the magic of words and images.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-6, Su 1-6. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net, www.Facebook.com/ArtMarketGallery

Join us for The REQUIEM Project, an ongoing COVID memorial by Bay Area artist Tina Rath, opening on First Friday, May 2nd, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at the Arrowmont Gallery, with Rath present.

This installation represents the staggering global loss of the COVID-19 pandemic, with each of the more than 7 million lives lost symbolized by an individual golden circle. REQUIEM seeks to make this unimaginable number tangible. Every drawing includes handwritten names, honoring individuals and acknowledging their unique lives. Though the pandemic years may feel distant, the collective grief and trauma remain with us. The REQUIEM Project invites us to engage in a quiet, meditative process of healing through art. Throughout the exhibition, including opening night, visitors are invited to take part in “Compassion Drawing” sessions. Using gold watercolor, one can contribute their own circles to the project. Each circle—like a fingerprint—is distinct, reflecting personal touch. Multiple people work on the 50 x 72″ drawings, creating a rich tapestry of varied circles expressing the collective nature of The REQUIEM Project. Whether or not you personally lost someone to COVID-19, “Compassion Drawing” sessions are open to everyone, no art experience is needed. Children age 10+ are also welcome, and all materials with simple instructions will be provided. You may also write the name of a loved one who died from COVID-19 on a circle. Their name will be added to a growing global database of those lost, compiled by the artist.

If you’re unable to attend in person but would still like to honor someone, you can email their name(s) to tina@tinarath.com. Tina will personally include them in the artwork and send you an image and the drawing number they appear on.

For more information on this exhibition and others, please visit our site at https://arrowmont.org/galleries/
110 S Gay St. Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 | (865) 436-7511

Join us for May First Friday as we debut FOLK — a new show by Kendra Barth of Blanket Fort Studio. Her whimsical ceramics blend storytelling, texture, and color in truly charming ways.

https://www.instagram.com/blanketfortstudio/

Rala: Regional and Local Artisans, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Mon-Thu & Sat 11-6, Fri 11-8, Sun 11-5. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com or www.instagram.com/ShopRala

Hi Suzanne! This Month, we're featuring Gabriela Toledo's "Dreams and Nightmares." The exhibit debuts on May 2nd from 5 PM - 9 PM, and we remain available until May 31st.

https://holahoralatina.org/current-exhibit/

HoLa Hora Latina, 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 112, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-335-3358, www.holahoralatina.org

Friday, May 2 from 6-8 Awaken Coffee will host an opening reception for the art trio “The Three Dames" consisting of Marcia Shelly, Cheryl Massey, and Linda Blair

Marcia has exhibited extensively across the lower 48. She typically paints with acrylics and often likes LARGE.

Cheryl describes her creative process as starting with a lingering spark of inspiration—an image that evolves until it is fully expressed through color on canvas.

Linda begin with mere colorful spots then evolve naturally, and while the blends are often a surprise, the surprise is a special aspect of the total pleasure.

Please join us for some amazing art and of course great coffee!

Awaken Coffee, 125 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Open daily. Information: 865-951-0427, www.instagram.com/awaken_coffee or www.facebook.com/awakencoffeeoldcity/

The 2025 Epiphone Student Guitar Design Exhibition & Auction includes 20 guitars designed and painted by youth artists from across East Tennessee.

Dogwood Arts Gallery, 123 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902

The 2025 Epiphone Student Guitar Design Exhibition & Auction includes 20 guitars designed and painted by youth artists from across East Tennessee. The exhibition will be on display in the Dogwood Gallery during the month of May and at Southern Skies Music Festival on May 10th. The guitars will be auctioned online to benefit youth art programs at Dogwood Arts.

Participating schools: Bearden High School, Concord Christian School, Farragut High School, Gibbs High School, Home School, Jefferson Middle School, Karns High School, L&N STEM Academy, Maryville High School, and West Valley Middle School.

First Friday Opening Reception: Friday, May 2nd from 5-8PM
Gallery Hours: M-F 10AM-5PM
123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://www.dogwoodarts.com/event-details/epiphone-student-guitar-design-exhibition

"I present a curated collection of self-portraits created over my 30-year artistic career. These works chronicle my life from husband to father to widow. The work follows not just what I looked like, but my seasons of life and artistic influences. To quote Vincent Van Gogh: People say, and I’m quite willing to believe it, that it is difficult to know oneself, but it’s not easy to paint oneself either. Other than high school art classes and a scholarship to Governors School for the Arts, I am largely self-taught. I paint in acrylic, using an airbrush and more recently a paintbrush as I have come to value brush strokes. I count among my artistic influences: Salvador Dali, Chuck Close, Van Gogh, and M.C. Escher."

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, May 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Robinella and friends. At the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday (May 3 & 10), 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM; and additional hours TBA. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, May 24, for the holiday. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.