YOUR ARTS WORLD
Think Ahead: Arts-Related Programming Ideas for Spring-Summer 2026
Spring-Summer 2026 Edition
late March-April
Parisian vibrance echoes spring through
art and opera
PROGRAM IDEAS:
Art talk on Impressionism
Painting activity using Impressionism as a topic
Opera Talk on Verdi’s La Traviata
Spring in Paris is an excellent excursion for the audience to appreciate the color and feeling of renewal after winter. Immerse your audience in our spring arts programming, where the vibrant echoes of Parisian culture are bound by the luminous brushstrokes of Impressionism and the tragic, passionate storyline of La Traviata.
late March-June
Raphael’s stunning collection of masterpieces unveils at the Met this spring
EXHIBITION: Raphael: Sublime Poetry
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
March 29–June 28, 2026
PROGRAM IDEA:
Host an art talk on Raphael’s life and art
Experience the genius of the High Renaissance as the Raphael exhibit, a stunning collection of masterpieces, unveils its magnificence at the Met this spring.
late April-June
Visual artists whose work boldly
capture the spectrum of the African American experience…
EXHIBITION: American Sublime by Amy Sherald
Baltimore Museum of Art
November, 2 2025– April 5,2026
PROGRAM IDEAS:
Art talk on black artists
Concert or music talk on Black classical performers or composers
To fully prepare for Juneteenth, create programming to spotlight the profound impact of Black visual artists whose work boldly captures the spectrum of the African American experience—from historical struggle and resilience to celebration and contemporary freedom—creating a powerful dialogue that resonates deeply with the holiday’s meaning.
April
Jazz- the nation’s original soundtrack is right on time for the 250th
PROGRAM IDEA:
Music talk on Jazz history or Jazz Icons
Host a Jazz concert
Jazz Awareness Month, celebrated every April, offers a dynamic and accessible way to explore the uniquely American art form of jazz—the nation's original soundtrack—highlighting its deep cultural and historical significance as a major contribution to the 250th anniversary of the United States.
April
The Bard's blooming verses and the
revitalizing power of verse fills April’s air…
PROGRAM IDEAS:
Opera talk on Shakespeare in opera
Poetry writing session
Host a program on Shakespeare’s life and works
April is the perfect time to celebrate Shakespeare and poetry as the arrival of spring mirrors the Bard's blooming verses and the revitalizing power of verse, culminating with National Poetry Month and Shakespeare's birthday.
May
A dramatic exploration of cross-cultural encounters, Eastern identity, and the enduring power of love…
PROGRAM IDEA:
Opera talk on Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and/or Turandot
Maximize your May programming for AAPI Heritage Month by diving into an opera talk on Madama Butterfly or Turandot, whose narratives provide a timely, dramatic exploration of cross-cultural encounters, Eastern identity, and the enduring power of love and sacrifice.
May-July
Soundtrack of a Nation: Patriotic Music and the American Journey
PROGRAM IDEA:
Host a music talk exploring the history behind America’s patriotic tunes
"Hymns of War and Peace": A live performance and lecture series tracing patriotic music's role in
American military conflicts.
The evolution of American patriotic music, from the battlefields that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner" to the satirical origins of "Yankee Doodle," offers a rich, often surprising, narrative that mirrors the nation's 250-year journey. A programming series could explore how these iconic tunes have been adapted, challenged, and reinterpreted across generations, offering a unique sonic lens on American identity, conflict, and celebration.
May-July
An honest, multi-perspectival survey of American art from 1900 to the 1980s…
EXHIBITION: Untitled (America)
Whitney Museum, NYC
ONGOING
PROGRAM IDEA:
Art talk on American artists featured in this exhibit like Hopper, O’Keeffe
The Whitney Museum's "Untitled" (America) exhibit connects to America's 250th anniversary by presenting an honest, multi-perspectival survey of American art from 1900 to the 1980s, allowing visitors to explore the complex, evolving, and sometimes contradictory collective psyche and identity of the nation over a pivotal eighty-year period.
May-July
American architecture standing as a tangible and powerful temple of history…
PROGRAM IDEA:
Art talk on famous American
monuments & architecture
From Independence Hall's founding principles to the solemn grandeur of the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, American architecture stands as a tangible and powerful "temple of our history," providing a physical space to commemorate the sacrifices of Memorial Day and reflect on the enduring story of America's 250 years.
June-July
Trace the foundational moments of the nation through famous art…
PROGRAM IDEA:
Art talk on famous paintings depicting pivotal moments in American history
Trace the foundational moments of the nation through our art talk, where iconic depictions like the Declaration of Independence and Washington Crossing the Delaware transform into vivid visual narratives, making the stories of America's founding tangibly relevant for the 250th anniversary celebration.
June-July
A crescendo of patriotism before the 4th of July begins…
PROGRAM IDEA:
Host a concert performance that includes America’s national anthem and other patriotic tunes
Imagine a pre-Fourth of July concert where a live band electrifies the crowd with iconic American anthems like "Yankee Doodle," "The Star-Spangled Banner," and "America the Beautiful," all woven together with compelling historical and cultural context between each powerful rendition, creating a stirring and educational crescendo of patriotism before the holiday even begins.
