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Audy McAfee is an arts and culture reporter at KPBS and a 2025 California Local News fellow. She covers topics ranging from the history of drag to incarcerated peoples rights.

The San Diego Children’s Choir (SDCC), a community-based nonprofit dedicated to inspiring young singers through high quality choral music education and performance, is bringing the joy of the holidays to San Diego with festive concerts. 35th Anniversary Celebration Holiday Sing-Along and Winter Concert Teaser FREE! Hosted by the Spreckels Organ Society, members of SDCC will perform Holiday Sing-Along songs. Adam Ferrara, SDCC principal collaborative pianist, will play the organ. Friday, November 28, 2025 | 1 p.m. Spreckels Organ Pavillion | 2125 Pan American East Road, San Diego, CA, 92101 36th Annual Winter Concert & Sing-Along on December 6, 2025 Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 1:30 p.m. & 5 p.m. First United Methodist Church Mission Valley | 2111 Camino del Rio S., San Diego, CA 92108 Tickets: https://www.sdcchoir.org/calendar/2025/12/6/sdcc-36th-annual-winter-concert These concerts will feature more than 300 talented young voices, ages 6 to 18, performing a dynamic repertoire, from classic to contemporary works, in a variety of languages. SDCC expects over 900 family and friends, along with hundreds of community members, to attend and join in singing holiday classics with SDCC’s young choristers. “Each year, our winter program brings together hundreds of young voices in a joyful celebration of music and community,” said SDCC Executive Director Carrie Musick Cottriall. “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the magic of the season through song.” Founded in 1990, the San Diego Children's Choir is the area's oldest and largest choral training program serving children ages 1–18 at locations throughout San Diego County. Over the past 35 years, SDCC has served more than 15,000 children across countywide, becoming a cornerstone of youth arts education in the region. In addition to its advanced ensemble program, SDCC offers early childhood music classes, provides school outreach in Title I schools, and regularly collaborates with leading arts organizations such as the San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera. The Choir also performs on tour, most recently at Carnegie Hall last summer. San Diego Children's Choir on Facebook / Instagram

Supporters of the displays say the Bible is on their side, but critics call the scenes sacrilegious and politically divisive, accusing the churches of abusing sacred imagery.

Books can be life-changing for people who are incarcerated. When Cherish Burtson went to federal prison, books became her source of survival. Her story – and the volunteers fighting censorship to get books past prison walls – reveals how access to reading can mean survival, connection and hope.

Saturday, October 25, 2025 2–7 p.m. Catherine and Robert Palmer Gallery Helena Westra: "Lying Fallow" On view: August 9–October 25, 2025 Mark the final day of Helena Westra’s installation "Lying Fallow" with an afternoon of creative celebration at the Athenaeum Art Center. Drop in anytime between 2 and 7 p.m. for this free, all-ages gathering. Harvest the golden meadow grass from the installation and transform it into autumn treasures—wreaths, straw dolls, bundles, and other imaginative creations. Take home a piece of the artwork, enjoy time with friends and neighbors, and embrace the spirit of the season. Celebra el último día de la instalación "Lying Fallow" de Helena Westra con una tarde creativa en el Athenaeum Art Center. Llega en cualquier momento entre las 2 y las 7 p.m. a este encuentro gratuito y abierto a todas las edades. Cosecha el pasto dorado del prado de la instalación y transfórmalo en tesoros otoñales—coronas, muñecas de paja, atados y otras creaciones imaginativas. Llévate a casa una pieza de la obra, disfruta con amigos y vecinos, y abraza el espíritu de la temporada. "Lying Fallow" is a golden meadow brought indoors and an invitation to rest. In this installation of hand-gathered California grasses, artist Helena Westra creates a space shaped by slowness, reflection, and return. The title comes from the agricultural term “lying fallow,” used when a field is left unplanted for a season so the soil can restore its strength. For Westra, this idea becomes a metaphor for creative and personal renewal. Westra's installation draws from her own search for balance in a world that constantly demands effort and productivity. Elevated here instead is her deep reverence for the land, a connection between the cycles of her own body and the seasons, and the quiet, in-between moments we often overlook. This exhibition straddles late summer into fall, inviting visitors into a space that feels both grounded and dreamlike, where time slows down and the border between the external world and the inner self begins to blur. This is a show about pausing. About listening. About what can only grow after a period of stillness. "Lying Fallow" offers a soft-landing place for memory, for imagination, and for whatever may come next. "Lying Fallow" es una pradera dorada llevada al interior y una invitación al descanso. En esta instalación de hierbas de California recogidas a mano, la artista Helena Westra crea un espacio moldeado por la lentitud, la reflexión y el retorno. El título procede del término agrícola "lying fallow”, utilizado cuando se deja un campo sin plantar durante una temporada para que el suelo recupere su fuerza. Para Westra, esta idea se convierte en una metáfora de la renovación creativa y personal. La instalación de Westra se inspira en su propia búsqueda de equilibrio en un mundo que exige constantemente esfuerzo y productividad. En cambio, aquí se eleva su profunda reverencia por la tierra, una conexión entre los ciclos de su propio cuerpo y las estaciones, y los momentos entre cosas que muchas veces no notamos. Esta exposición, a medio camino entre el final del verano y el otoño, invita a los visitantes a un espacio que se siente a la vez conectado a la tierra y onírico, donde el tiempo se ralentiza y la frontera entre el mundo exterior y el interior empieza a difuminarse. Es una exposición sobre la pausa. Sobre escuchar. Sobre lo que sólo puede crecer tras un periodo de quietud. "Lying "Fallow ofrece un lugar de aterrizaje suave para la memoria, para la imaginación y para lo que pueda venir después. The exhibition can be viewed in the Catherine and Robert Palmer Gallery at the Athenaeum Art Center (1955 Julian Avenue, San Diego, CA 92113) during open gallery hours, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and every second Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m., during the Barrio Art Crawl, and by appointment. Athenaeum Art Center on Instagram

Art Within Social Movements: Integrating Art & Ethnic Studies This professional development session explores the powerful role visual art has played in advancing social movements throughout history, equipping educators with resources, examples, and art projects that align with the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum theme of Social Movements and Equity. Participants will examine how art has amplified the voices of advocates and driven social change, analyzing both historical and contemporary examples. Designed for all educators, not just art teachers, this session provides adaptable lesson plans and classroom-ready projects that support Ethnic Studies Learning Outcomes across various subjects. Educators will leave with practical tools, meaningful connections, and strategies to inspire student engagement with themes of equity and justice. All content is aligned with the National Core Arts Standards, ensuring a seamless integration of art into diverse educational contexts. ArtReach: Website / Facebook / Instagram

07. Halloween Decorations in Plein Air Kevin Inman Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. October 25 (1 day, 3 total hours of instruction) On location (either Kensington, Mission Hills or Loma Portal) $90/$110 Back by popular demand! Join Halloween-obsessive Kevin Inman for a pumpkin-spiced painting session in the streets of San Diego. We will paint in San Diego’s top Halloween décor spot of 2025 (if you know, you know) after extensive research by our intrepid teacher. Costumes strongly encouraged; candy provided. Painting outdoors gives the artist the opportunity to experiment with light, color, and atmosphere. Work with San Diego landscape painter Kevin Inman to learn how to paint spontaneously, appreciate nature, and enjoy the moment. Topics include color mixing, design, and letting go of your inner critic. Materials: Recommended oil or acrylic colors (Gamblin and Rembrandt paints): Limited palette: Alizarin Crimson Permanent, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White. This palette saves money but limits your options in advanced painting techniques. Basic palette: Cadmium Yellow Medium (or Hue), Cadmium Yellow Deep (or Hue), Cadmium Red Medium (or Hue), Alizarin Crimson Permanent, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue Hue, Titanium White, Burnt Umber, or preferred alternatives. Recommended but optional palette: Ivory Black, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre. Brushes: a range of brushes from #2 on up. (I prefer hog bristle flats and filberts.) Other: cup or jar for solvent; paper towels; palette or paper palette pad; Gamsol or Turpenoid; linseed oil or Gamblin Solvent-free Gel; sketchbook; pencil; vine charcoal; palette knife; gloves; travel easel or pochade box; hat and sunscreen. Supports: Stack of inexpensive materials for quick studies and exercises, such as a five-pack of Blick canvas boards, size 8” x 10” or 11” x 14”, an Arches oil paper pad, or a canvas pad. Two larger canvas boards or stretched canvases, size 11” x 14” to 16” x 20” for longer projects. Max students: 12 Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on Facebook / Instagram

Join Storytellers of San Diego in a season for "Compassion Tales," including a few ghosts, haunts and spooky places. Ganesha's origin story, a Buddhist tale and more--all told in a comfy and art-filled atmosphere. Expand your evening with the original social media--storytelling! Curated tellers for the evening are Linda Brown, Phoenix Coverley, David Walsh, Mindy Donner and Jim Dieckmann. Enjoy wicked java, and other barista drinks.

Creative Connections: SEL Through Contemporary Art with the ArtReach Learning Portal In this hands-on professional development workshop, educators will learn two creative projects, based on contemporary art practices, that integrate Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Participants will explore how these art forms can encourage self-expression, emotional processing, and social connection in the classroom. The session will also introduce the ArtReach Learning Portal, offering resources and tools to support SEL-focused art education. Educators will leave with ready-to-implement projects and access to a rich digital platform for continued learning and inspiration. This professional development workshop will focus on strategies art educators can use to incorporate contemporary artists into their lesson plans and to strengthen their confidence in speaking to and teaching from contemporary art. Focusing on artists from California, the San Diego/Tijuana border region, and arts resources within San Diego County, this workshop will provide culturally relevant touchstones for lesson development that reflect the intersectional identities of San Diego students. The session will provide hands-on art making activities that can then be applied directly in classrooms. In addition to supporting culturally responsive curriculum and contemporary arts focus, the lessons will also promote social emotional learning (SEL) by engaging the 5 SEL competencies of CASEL 5. Participants will walk away with resources, strategies, and lessons to immediately implement in their classrooms. All lessons are supported by the National Core Arts Standards. ArtReach: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Free Art Classes for Teens (13–18 years old) Free Teen Art is a free program for teens, who are interested in art-making as an enrichment activity that goes beyond making crafts. The aim of the program is to provide a space for youth to create art, share stories, collaborate, explore, and identify new ways to use art in their lives. The Athenaeum offers facilities, resources, guidance, instruction, and support. The open studio program includes a rotation of multidisciplinary art instructors offering workshops in their respective fields, as well as curricular activities that involve the use of the Athenaeum library resources as a starting point for projects. Activities include drawing, painting, research, and introduction to various media. Jean Krumbein embraces all aspects of drawing. An artist, teacher, and model,; she is a guest artist/figure-drawing instructor for the Canyon Crest Academy EVA Conservatory program and Founder of the Encinitas Library Figure Drawing Group. A New York transplant, Jean studied at the Huntington Fine Arts League, Friends World College, and the Art Students League. She teaches at art retreats and workshops in Southern California, specializing in life drawing, portrait, and still-life drawing classes for adults and teens. Her work has been shown in many group and solo shows in San Diego and New York.  Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on Facebook / Instagram