I know that love is in the air this week. It can mean many different things to different people, so how about I show some ways to be in love with the arts this weekend? Looking through the calendars on ColumbusMakesArt.com, I can see it’s pretty easy.

Here’s what I’m loving on this week!

• On Wednesday, Feb. 14, OG Productions performs its annual Valentine’s Day Theatre Shorts Festival at the St. James Tavern in Italian Village. The new play festival is free, although they of course encourage you to order drinks at the bar.
• The Nest Theatre hosts a one-night-only event titled “I Am” Project on Thursday, Feb. 15. Six people will tell stories based on prompts from the song “I Am Woman.” Proceeds support Dress for Success.
• That same night, the ReelAbilities Film Festival presents the short film I Am Irani. The evening also includes a spoken word session with poet Cynthia Amoah. It’s free, but registration is required.
• On Friday, Feb. 16, Backstage at the Lincoln presents a blues-based experience titled Ode to Freedom from Cedric Easton.
• Also Friday night, Imagine Productions opens The Addams Family Musical at the Van Fleet Theatre. See it through Feb. 25.
• Friday and Saturday evenings, Feb. 16-17, head to the Barnett Theatre in Sullivant Hall for Black on Earth, an interdisciplinary project melding dance, technology and agriculture from MFA dance students Ricarrdo Valentine (one of GCAC’s 2023 Artists Elevated recipients) and Orlando Hunter. Tickets are only $5.
• Last weekend High Road Gallery in Worthington opened a new exhibition from a pair of local photographers, Paul Graham and Mark Steele. Real and Imagined, as the show is called, is being displayed alongside 3D wood art from Delia Smith. High Road is open Fridays and Saturdays, and it’s always free to visit.
• You can spend Saturday afternoon, Feb. 17, with illustrator Rafael Rosado at Cover to Cover Children’s Books in Upper Arlington. The event starts at 1 p.m. and is free.
• That day the Ohio Art League opens a new exhibition from abstract expressionist painter Matthew Swift, Mindful Cycles of Hope, at RAW Gallery on East Main Street. It’s free to visit.
• Finish the weekend on Sunday, Feb. 18 with a free concert at the Ohio History Center from the Abeo Quartet.
• Or catch CoMo Dance’s season finale performance at the Abbey Theater of Dublin. The performance is about one hour and is family friendly.

The Lincoln Theatre Association receives an Operating Support grant from GCAC, while Art Possible Ohio, Imagine Productions, Ricarrdo Valentine and Sunday at Central receive Project Support.

(Image credit: Ricarrdo Valentine, Black on Earth)

Nick is marketing, communications, & events administrator for GCAC. He’s also a food/travel writer penning works for Columbus Monthly, Ohio Magazine and his own site BreakfastWithNick.com. His puppy got sprayed by a skunk last week!