Arts and Culture

‘The Upside’ Mission Art Collective Offers Exhibit Space to Artists
Many local artists over the years have laser-cut, welded, painted, sawed, electrified, sculpted, and even papier-mâchéd pieces of art at The Upside.

North Beach is Where Magic Lives
North Beach is where magic lives. Neon strip club signs throw color at the pavement below while Coit Tower sits illuminated on Telegraph Hill, like God’s own fire hose nozzle. Smells of garlic and sauce drift from restaurants whose large windows teem with people from around the world. Street barkers

Best Bay Area Events 1/9-1/15
Taylor Mac and Matt Ray’s Bark of Millions Coming to Berkeley! Taylor Mac (a MacArthur Fellow, Kennedy Prize winner, and Pulitzer Prize finalist) and Obie award-winning composer Matt Ray visit with the West Coast premiere of Bark of Millions.Part rock opera, part reimagined pride parade, this epic production will stage 55 original songs—one to mark

Queer History Series Debuts in San Francisco
I’ve been candid about my love for the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. It’s robust and overflowing community in a city buffeted by bad takes from bored and profiteering media pundits is a reminder San Francisco is alive with the sound of music, for those willing to listen. Now, in the

Sunspot Jonz: Hip-Hop Icon, Cultural Strategist, and Oakland’s Champion for 2024
Living Legends’ hip-hop star, Sunspot Jonz (Corey Johnson), just signed on as a Cultural Strategist for The City of Oakland, and he has big hopes and dreams for what he’ll be able to accomplish in 2024. As a published author, a fresh advocate for Oakland through the city, and an

Baruch Porras-Hernandez: Spreading Laughter & Uplifting Community
A living, breathing cyclone of creativity and sharp wit resides in San Francisco. He draws artists to him, and then uplifts them in community. His name is Baruch Porras-Hernandez. If you haven’t been to see one of his curated shows, you most definitely should. Baruch is a writer, performer, organizer,

Crafting Narratives: Mokhtar Paki’s Artistic Odyssey in the Bay Area
The gallery at STRUT (San Francisco AIDS Foundation) begins 2024 with the inspired works of Mokhtar Paki. The show, “Shy Boy and Other Nudes” depicts many aspects of queer love rather than focusing on sexual acts. Figures on the canvasses embrace tenderly or stare out thoughtfully from relaxed positions. They

Calls For Artists in San Francisco! Muralists, Sculptors & Glass Artists!
Just the latest calls for artists in the city via the San Francisco Arts Commission, a lot of very interesting artwork needs doing in the Mission, Hayes Valley, Treasure Island and on walls all over the city! 3 projects have application deadlines in January and one in March, if you