Relax during the tail end of the dog days of summer with arts and culture outings and experiences around the University of Oregon orbit.
Exhibitions
There are just a few more days to see Looking Back: Diane Arbus, 1956-1970 at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. The show closes Aug. 2.
Opening Aug. 22 is High Drama: Japanese Prints of Theater, Heroes and History that incorporates student research from History of Art and Architecture Professor Akiko Walley’s spring 2026 Japanese print course.
Hands-on art
Scratch that creative itch with a Craft Center Studio Pass. After completing required orientations, employees have access to studios ranging from photography to ceramics during open hours.
July 30 is the final Crafts in the Courtyard session of the summer at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. You will design a unique copper bookmark using honeycomb-patterned stencils.
Music
UO faculty, staff and students are some of the members of Samba Ja who will perform at the lively Axé Samba Festival Aug. 1 in Eugene Riverfront Park.
Various School of Music and Dance instructors and students take the riverside stage to play jazz at Roaring Rapids Pizza Company throughout the month.
In downtown Eugene, the Jazz Station hosts concerts from a UO alumnus Aug. 14 and several instructors Aug. 15.
Listen to acoustic music while pondering a whale skeleton. Enjoy a band of recorders while exploring the tidepool touch tank. Visit the Charleston Marine Life Center on Aug. 1 to hear local music from the Eager Geezers and Aug. 8 for The Fipples. While there is no extra charge for the performances, standard admission rates apply but students and staff are free with UO ID.
KWAX-FM, the university’s classical music station, welcomes Peter van de Graaff to its airwaves Aug. 24 as the new host of the syndicated series Exploring Music. Formerly the station’s program director, van de Graaff is known for his warm presence and deep musical knowledge. Exploring Music, heard weeknights at 7 p.m., is one of classical music’s most respected radio programs. Each weekly five-episode arc focuses on a single theme and uses engaging storytelling to foster understanding and appreciation of the art form. Tune in at 91.1 or via streaming at https://kwax.com.
What else is playing on the UO classical music radio station KWAX? Check out the new live look on the Spinitron playlist.
Learning in the outdoors
Bring the whole crew to the Museum of Natural and Cultural History courtyard for Family Fun in the Sun. Discover how Ice Age creatures ran, leaped, flew and ate their way through Oregon’s history July 31-Aug. 1. It’s a geology adventure with hands-on activities and rockin’ specimens Aug. 7-8 and 14-15. Then Oregon’s Dino-Story roars to life Aug. 21-22 and 28-29 with fossil clues.
What’s blooming in the Glenn Starlin Native Plant Courtyard at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History? Take a break on a bench and see for yourself.
Lectures
Author Brendan O’Meara gives an illustrated talk on The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine Aug. 1 at the Eugene Public Library.
Road trip
Traveling around Oregon this summer? Catch a Museum of Natural and Cultural History program in a library or at a community event.
Tours
Drop by the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Aug. 1 at 1 p.m. for the First Saturday Art Museum Tour led by an experienced exhibition interpreter.
On your next lunch break, why not take a self-guided art tour? Visit up to 30 freestanding sculptures and incorporated artworks on the Eugene campus.
—Jennifer Archer, University Communications