Whether you’re sticking close to home or venturing out for some safe, socially distant fun, you can experience the art, music, dance and natural wonders that The University of Texas at Austin has to offer.
Availability could change based on local conditions; be sure to check websites for more information.
The Blanton Museum of Art offers a variety of online and in-person experiences.
You can watch videos of the Curated Conversations series, download coloring pages and other at-home activities, and take virtual tours of the museum and several exhibitions at blantonmuseum.org/museumfromhome. Race and Social Justice in Art is another online resource that features the voices of artists, scholars and community leaders; find it at bit.ly/raceandsocialjusticeinart.
To visit the Blanton in person, you must have a timed ticket reserved in advance through the website. The Blanton is always free with UT ID for faculty, staff and students; select UT faculty/staff or student to get your free ticket. Masks are required, and social distancing will be in place.
Visitors this fall will be able to see an exhibition with an array of abstract paintings from the U.S. and Latin America, an installation of contemporary textiles exploring Black and queer histories, and a selection of prints collected by UT School of Law professor John A. Robertson, plus the robust permanent collection. More information at blantonmuseum.org.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is open with limited admission to maintain social distancing. Advance reservations are required and are available up to seven days in advance on the website. UT staff and faculty members and students can reserve general admission tickets for free.
Fortlandia, a collection of custom-designed forts that illustrate the intersection of art and nature, returns to the center and runs through Jan. 31. Luminations, the annual winter tradition of lighting up the gardens at night, runs nightly from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3 (closed Dec. 24, 25 and 31 and Jan. 1).
The center has also been offering virtual yoga and other online classes; check wildflower.org for details and schedule.
The Butler School of Music is streaming select performances for you to enjoy at home. Upcoming concert dates include Dec. 3, Jan. 16, Feb. 25, March 25 and April 29; visit music.utexas.edu/concerts-events/live-stream for additional information.
Landmarks, UT’s public art program, has several virtual offerings. You can see all the works on its website, complete with information about the artists. “Ways of Being” is an online exhibit of videos that explore multiple experiences of cultural identities. And “Listening with Landmarks” offers Spotify playlists from Austin music notables, inspired by the Landmarks collection.
Or, you can take your own socially distant stroll with Landmarks’ new Smartphone Tours. The web-based experience comes complete with artist videos, audio guides, artist playlists and more. Find out more at landmarks.utexas.edu.
The Department of Theatre and Dance’s 2020/2021 season is all virtual, with pay-what-you-can pricing. See what’s coming up at theatredance.utexas.edu. You can also watch videos of recent student works at vimeo.com/texastheatredance.
