It makes me very happy each week to search the calendars on ColumbusMakesArt.com and find a huge collection of performances, concerts and exhibitions. Even during a pandemic, Columbus artists stay busy!

If you’re in the mood for holiday-themed shows and sales, here’s your list for this week:

• Starting Saturday, Dec. 12, Madlab Theatre begins streaming its holiday show A Very Covid Christmas, described as “a collection of short plays with comedy, drama and reindeer.”
• The Short North Stage opens a new original virtual musical called Quarantine with the Clauses this Thursday, Dec. 10
• High Road Gallery in Worthington has put its Holiday Show online
• On Friday, Dec. 11 the Nest Theatre performs a virtual improv show called Christmas in December: A Hallmark Parody. Sounds like a fun send-up of Hallmark holiday movies!
• Support local artists by shopping virtually or in-person during Festivus 2020 on Franklinton’s 400 Square. You can shop through 400 West Rich’s website (and select curb-side pick up) or visit the outdoor market, Dec. 11-13.
• You can also visit ROY G BIV Gallery this Friday, Dec. 11 in-person or tune in virtually for the opening of their annual SmallWorks show. The theme this year is Peace Out 2020.
• Tune in Saturday evening, Dec. 12, as the Wex streams Holiday Sauce… Pandemic!, a performance by Taylor Mac that blends music, film, burlesque and more.

And there’s plenty more without a holiday theme:

• See Brittni Hall’s Abstracts in the North Window Gallery at the Highline Coffee Art Space, viewable from the sidewalk outside. (Bonus: order some coffee online from Highline Coffee!)
• Glass Axis opened its in-person Mini Vitro exhibition and sale last weekend. All the pieces are 10 inches or smaller. Perfect for holiday shopping, although the show runs through Jan. 30.
• Friday and Saturday nights (Dec. 10 and 11) are the final nights for Eclipse Theatre Company’s virtual comedy Loose Canon
• 934 Gallery is hosting virtual and in-person visits to the opening of its fifth anniversary retrospective group show this Saturday afternoon (Dec. 12)
• The Wexner Center’s annual ZOOM Family Film Festival has gone online. You can watch short film collections like Spanish-language Viva Kid Flicks, Kid Flicks One and Kid Flicks Two.
• The Wex also hosts streaming services for the popular Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival starting this Friday, Dec. 11
• On Thursday, Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. OSU Libraries hosts a free virtual talk with author Alice George, who recently wrote a book about the life of John Glenn

Nick is marketing, communications, & events administrator for the Arts Council. He also leads culinary tours and blogs about breakfast at breakfastwithnick.com. Did you see the latest episode of The Mandalorian?!