See what I did there?!

Maybe it’s the academic ingrained in me, but autumn always feels like a second New Year. It’s the days of fresh air and cooler temps. The days when I can turn off the air conditioning and open all the doors and windows. These days really, really make me want to get out and do stuff. And fortunately, the arts can be a big part of that, whether it’s concerts, exhibitions or performances – both in-person and online.

My ideas for this week:

• If you’re like me and really want to go all-in on autumn, you can visit Franklin Park Conservatory. This weekend they kick off their Glass Pumpkin Patch sale and Harvest Blooms exhibition. (And you better believe I’ve already marked my calendar for Pumpkins Aglow in mid-October.)
• The Lincoln Theatre features two performances this week. This Thursday, Sept. 24, catch La’Toya Jones performing in the next Backstage at the Lincoln series. Tickets are available for online viewing or limited in-house seating. And then on Friday, Sept. 25, tune in online to see Tripp Fontaine performing for the Lincoln’s Living Room Concerts.
• We could all use a good laugh, and this Thursday, Sept. 24, the Nest Theatre performs a virtual longform improv show
• Starting at 8 p.m. this Friday, you can tune in for a free virtual performance of Hixon Dance’s Peter and The Wolf. It should be fun for the whole family. You can stream it through next week Monday, Sept. 28.
• The City of Dublin has been hosting more virtual performances and events lately. Last weekend, a fun musical comedy called Super Happy Awesome News started streaming, and is available through Sept. 30. And on Friday, Sept. 25 you can listen to singer-songwriter Russell Boiarsky.
• This weekend you have two chances to see the wonderful Dr. E. perform. On Friday, Sept. 25, she graces the stage of Natalie’s Worthington, while Sunday, Sept. 27, she opens the virtual season of the Harrison Park Jazz Stage
• The next Westland Mall Drive-In concerts are this Thursday, Sept. 24 (Peekaboo and Dirt Monkey) and Sunday, Sept. 27 (Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler)
• The Schumacher Gallery at Capital University has always been an incredible free resource, and just last week they launched a free app with a virtual tour of the gallery and collections.
• (Not) Sheep Gallery opened a new exhibition last weekend titled The Masks We Wear. I’m curious, too, about Studios on High’s Faces exhibition.

CAPA continues its abbreviated Summer Movie Series at the Ohio Theatre:

• Friday, Sept. 25: The Kid Brother
• Saturday, Sept. 26: The Sting (Fun fact: one of my parents’ first dates was to see The Sting.)
• Sunday, Sept. 27: Glory

This Saturday, Sept. 26, the Wexner Center opens up four new exhibitions in its galleries:

• Gretchen Bender: Aggressive Witness – Active Participant
• Taryn Simon’s Assembled Audience
• Steve McQueen’s Remember Me
• Tomashi Jackson’s Love Rollercoaster
• And amongst its other streaming film offerings, the Wexner is showing Equator, a film by Amy Yoes that’s the culmination of a two-year film/video residency back in 2010.

Finally, I think we could all use a little more art and mental/physical wellness in our lives these days, and the Dublin Arts Council launches a new public art and wellness challenge this weekend. They’ve commissioned artists to create new public art pieces in their Riverbox geocaches; you collect a booklet and get out to explore the geocaches, where you’ll find an interactive journal with wellness and creative prompts.

That’s a lot, I know, but it’s just scratching the surface. There’s plenty more to discover on ColumbusMakesArt.com.

Nick is marketing, communications, & events administrator for the Arts Council. He also leads culinary tours and blogs about breakfast at breakfastwithnick.com. He would like to know how to bottle and store these fall days.