On the property of Montalvo Arts Center, sequestered in the redwoods above Saratoga, a narrow road curls around Parking Lot 1 to reveal 10 LEED-certified, discipline-specific art studios built into a forested hillside along a few miles of hiking trails. It is here, in these studios, that hundreds of artists, local and global, have temporarily lived and created since the Sally and Don Lucas Artists Residency Program was launched in 2004. The program will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a grand-scale party at Montalvo on May 4. In one form or another, artist residency programs began at Mont ..read more

In 2019, Gina Dent and Rachel Nelson launched Visualizing Abolition, a scholarly public initiative at UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences, which uses art as a medium to advocate for prison abolition and change society’s attitudes towards the U.S. prison industrial complex. Dent is a professor of feminist studies and Nelson is the institute’s director and chief curator. Their first exhibit, “Solitary Garden,” was an outdoor installation at the university that replicated the inside of a solitary confinement cell. Since then, they’ve hosted more art shows, as well as online discus ..read more

Obviously, we should all feel bad for the MedMen employees who are now out of jobs after the once-seemingly-high-flying company finally declared bankruptcy last week and announced that it would wind down operations. But that aside, anybody who wants to see a healthy, thriving legal-cannabis industry should breathe a small sigh of relief over the news. Or at least we can hope that MedMen’s demise is a harbinger of change. Cultivated Daily thinks it is: “The halcyon days of young, inexperienced founders raising millions on bold promises to build flashy-yet-unprofitable cannabis companies are ov ..read more

Silicon Alleys columnist Gary Singh reviews musical moments created by a collaboration between San Jose State University and the city of San Jose. The San Jose City Hall Rotunda was never more artfully played than on April 20, thanks to a landmark collaboration between the city government and the faculty of SJSU’s School of Music. The school premiered two new compositions, Pablo Furman’s “Vortex Shedding and the Bell Ringer’s Call” and Christopher Luna-Mega’s “Diameter Resonant.” Each was written for a mixed ensemble (flute, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, percussion and violin) and pr ..read more

Author Rob Brezsny offers insights for all signs of the horoscope in his weekly Free Will Astrology column. ARIES (March 21-April 19): The world’s record for jumping rope in six inches of mud is held by an Aries. Are you surprised? I’m not. So is the world’s record for consecutive wallops administered to a plastic inflatable punching doll. Other top accomplishments performed by Aries people: longest distance walking on one’s hands; number of curse words uttered in two minutes; and most push-ups with three bulldogs sitting on one’s back. As impressive as these feats are, I hope you will channe ..read more

Goth rockers the Mission UK show no signs of slowing down. Just last October, they finished a 150-date world tour. Originally formed in 1986 by Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams, the band was initially called the Sisterhood as a nod to their time in an infamous post-punk/darkwave band, the Sisters of Mercy. However, the band performed under several aliases over the years, like Blood Brother or, as their glam band alter egos, the Metal Gurus. They would go through several lineup changes over the years, but in 2015, Hussey, Adams and guitarist Simon Hinkler decided to reform (three of the four origi ..read more

As a virtuoso flutist, multidisciplinary artist and educator, Claire Chase dedicates her career to elevating and illuminating musical works from contemporary composers. In the process, she has executed graceful and masterful world premieres of hundreds of modern pieces of music. For her latest project, accompanied by the JACK Quartet, Chase will premiere a new Stanford-commissioned work by noted minimalist composer Terry Riley. Titled “The Holy Liftoff,” the large-scale musical work features an eight-part chorus of low and high flutes, graphic notation, and Riley’s signature open-style scorin ..read more

Writer-in-Residence Kate Folk will read from her collection of stories Out There. The acclaimed author will provide one-on-one feedback as part of the program. Kate Folk lives in San Francisco and is currently working on a novel. Goodreads declares of Out There: “With a focus on the weird and eerie forces that lurk beneath the surface of ordinary experience, Kate Folk’s debut short story collection is perfectly pitched to the madness of our current moment.” Kate Folk Tue, 7pm, Free Hammer Theatre, San Jose Kate Folk with Ploi Pirapokin / Out There ..read more

What is Cinco de Mayo in San Jose without the colorful skirts, tapping shoes and the brilliant tradition of baile folklórico? Los Lupeños de San José draws crowds with talented youth and company dancers all year, but their annual FOLKLOREADA gathers renowned dancers and musicians throughout the region. This free outdoor community festival, now in its fifth iteration, fills la Plaza with craft vendors, food trucks and six hours of family-friendly entertainment by standout performers like Ballet Folklórico Costa de Oro, Banda Imperial, Collaborative Institute of Cultural Arts of Chicago and BF ..read more

It’s time for a kiss from a rose. Seal’s coming to town and sounding better than ever. Since the early ’90s, the British singer-songwriter has been snatching hearts (and Grammys) with his sultry baritone and romantic sensibilities, creating the international hits “Crazy” and “Killer,” among many others. After selling 30 million albums worldwide, a singer could rightly rest on his laurels, but Seal has continued exploring the creative world. In 2021, he released a soulful single with Claptone called “Just a Ghost” and guest-starred in the South African animated action film Seal Team, voicing ..read more