12 arts events to look forward to this week in metro Atlanta
From visual arts to music and dance to theater, the metro Atlanta area has an active arts scene offering something for nearly everyone. This upcoming week, happenings include the grand opening of Gallery Anderson Smith’s new flagship location in Midtown, as well as a performance of music from Ellington, Elgar and Shostakovich by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians.
The following 12 events will help you explore Atlanta’s arts and culture in the upcoming week.
Reel Truth: “Portrait of Ailey”
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights hosts a screening of “Portrait of Ailey,” a documentary examining the life, legacy and contradictions of dancer, director and choreographer Alvin Ailey. After the screening, a conversation and audience Q&A will feature Alicia Graf Mack, artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Atlanta scholars Karcheik Sims-Alvarado and Dwight Andrews.
6:30 p.m. Wednesday. $12. National Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., Atlanta. 678-999-8990, civilandhumanrights.org.
Ellington + Elgar’s “Enigma Variations”
Guest conductor David Danzmayr leads the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in an eclectic program featuring Shostakovich’s “Piano Concerto No. 2,” Duke Ellington’s tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (“The Three Black Kings”) and Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.”
8 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. $39.30 and up. Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE. Atlanta. 404-733-4800, aso.org.
“Little Shop of Horrors”
The Broadway and Hollywood hit musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” the story of a man-eating plant, takes the stage at Marietta Theatre Company.
Thursday-Saturday. $27.44-$46.75. Marietta’s Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. 678-664-9343, mariettatheatre.com.
“The Play That Goes Wrong”
Aurora Theatre’s most popular comedy returns with the story of a hilariously inept theater troupe attempting to stage a play, resulting in chaos.
Thursday-Feb. 15. $48.84 and up. Aurora Theatre, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222, auroratheatre.com.
Winter Winds
The Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta presents renowned wind players — clarinetist David Shifrin and flutist Ransom Wilson — who are joined by Jesse McCandless on clarinet, James Zellers on flute and Julie Coucheron on piano.
Noon Friday. Free. Emerson Concert Hall, Emory University Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, 1700 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta. 404-712-9894, arts.emory.edu.
Gallery Anderson Smith grand opening
Gallery Anderson Smith unveils its new Midtown location with a grand opening celebration.
7-10 p.m. Saturday. 1401 Peachtree St. NE, Suite A200, Atlanta. 404-907-4183, galleryandersonsmith.com.
The ImprOpera presents: “La Bohème”
Puccini’s tale of young artists is reinterpreted through multiple mediums, including music, movement, comedy and improvisation.
7-10 p.m. Saturday. $15 in advance, $20 day of show. Goat Farm Arts Center, 1200 Foster St. NW, Atlanta. thegoatfarm.info.
Joshua Redman
Saxophonist Joshua Redman, known for honoring jazz traditions while pushing the genre forward, will perform. Concertgoers may also view the photography exhibit “Jazz Through the Lens,” which is included in the ticket.
8 p.m. Saturday. $59-$99. Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University, 80 Forsyth St. NW, Atlanta. 404-413-9849, events.rialtocenter.gsu.edu.
Atlanta Loves Art Show
This free monthly art show returns to the Beltline with the works of 100 artists, as well as music and food.
7-11:30 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. 116 Krog St. NE, Atlanta, atlantalovesart.com.
Bearing Witness: “Corresponding Angles”
The Breman kicks off its 2026 series of “Bearing Witness” Holocaust talks with Gail Cohn, the daughter of a Holocaust liberator, and Dr. Reuben Sloan, the son of a survivor, who met by chance decades later. The museum and all of its exhibitions will be free on this day, and guests can also attend a free guided tour of the exhibit “Absence of Humanity: The Holocaust Years, 1933-1945” starting at 12:30 p.m. The tour is capped at 40 guests and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
2-4 p.m. Sunday. Free with required registration, free parking. The Breman, 1440 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 678-222-3700, thebreman.org.
Shen Yun
This two-hour dance performance features original scores, immersive scenes and timeless stories that take audiences through millennia of traditional Chinese culture.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 27-Feb. 1. $104.15 and up. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. 770-916-2852, cobbenergycentre.com.
“MJ The Musical”
This Tony Award-winning musical, which is part of the Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta series, is centered on the making of Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous World Tour” in 1992.
Jan. 27-Feb. 1. $49 and up. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 855-285-8499, foxtheatre.org.
