Take a break and give yourself a gift by visiting the Cleveland Museum of Art this month. Below are events that will entertain and inspire you this season:
Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
FREE
The Lantern Festival joins CMA! Play Day in the Ames Family Atrium. This family-friendly event of art making, games, and more takes you on a captivating journey to explore the mesmerizing beauty of light, the warmth of lanterns, and the twinkle of imagination. It promises to be an illuminating experience that ignites creativity for all ages.
- Chamber Music in the Atrium
Wednesday, Dec. 13, noon -1 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
FREE
The museum’s collaboration with the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) continues with its popular Chamber Music in the Atrium lunchtime concert series. Featuring outstanding young conservatory musicians from CIM, these concerts present mixed repertoire ranging from the standards to unknown gems. Enjoy hot holiday beverages from Provenance Café and join us at the tables in the atrium.
Friday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Gartner Auditorium
Ticket required
In the increasingly popular world of a cappella singing groups, Accent has carved out its own niche. Since forming in 2011, the group has released five albums; performed at the London A Cappella Festival; played dates across Europe, North America, and Asia; and was featured in two sold-out Christmas shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Accent’s singular blend and arrangements have been acclaimed by a cappella devotees and fellow musicians alike, including Cedric Dent of TAKE 6 and Clark Burroughs of the Hi-Lo’s. The ensemble’s lush sound is embellished by its deep and innate musicality. As Alan Paul of the Manhattan Transfer said, “You guys carry on the vocal group legacy.”
Accent is composed of six singers from five countries forming one vocal supergroup. This evening’s performance features selections from the Accent discography, including holiday favorites from the ensemble’s latest release, Christmas All the Way.
Tickets $33–$45, CMA members $30–$40
- Apollo’s Fire Presents: Wassail!
Sundays, December 10 and 17, 4:30 p.m.
Gartner Auditorium
Ticket requiredCleveland’s own internationally acclaimed, Grammy-winning ensemble Apollo’s Fire brings to life the music of the past for audiences of today. Join us for this special occasion in which the group presents their program “Wassail! An Irish Appalachian Christmas,” created and directed by Jeannette Sorrell. - Holidays at the CMA: The Settlement Singers
Sunday, Dec. 10, 2-3 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
FREE
Holidays at the CMA include a special free performance featuring the Settlement Singers. Listen to holiday music, grab hot holiday beverages and baked goods from Provenance Café, and shop for fun holiday gifts in the museum store.
The Settlement Singers were formed in the fall of 2018 to promote arts instruction to those aged 55 and over to inspire lifelong learning and provide a community of like-minded peers. More information about the group can be found on the Music Settlement’s website.
Friday, Dec. 15-Sunday, June 2
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Japanese Art Galleries | Gallery 235A
FREE
The Chinese words jiang, or “river,” and nan, or “south,” together form the region name Jiangnan, or “river’s south.” The river is the Yangzi River, or “Long River,” that flows from west to east across China, emptying into the sea near the city of Shanghai. The “south” is a constellation of cities, mountain ranges, lakes, and rivers reaching as far west as Mount Lu, about eight hours from Shanghai by car (684 kilometers, or 425 miles). Core episodes in Chinese history and literature were set in or inspired by these sites. Transmitted through text and image, records and representations of Jiangnan occupied a significant position in the lives of creators and consumers of culture across East and Southeast Asia in the centuries leading up to the present. Some of the paintings and painted ceramics in this gallery show how Japanese artists of the past portrayed two landmarks in Jiangnan, Mount Lu and West Lake, and Xiao-Xiang, a place located physically west of Jiangnan but an important touch point in artistic productions from that region.
Through Tuesday, Dec. 12
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Japanese Art Galleries | Galleries 235A–B
FREE
The relationship between people to animals is ever-evolving as we continue to learn more about the other life forms with which we share our planet. Each culture offers unique perspectives on our connection to animals. The history of representing the finned, furry, and feathered residents of the worlds of sea, land, and sky in Japan began with clay figurines of mammals—wild boars, for example—made around 2,500 to 900 years before the common era. These days, they include robotic animals made of metal, plastic, and synthetic fibers, such as dogs and seals. In the future, we may look upon them as art too. This installation features images of animals made in Japan for a variety of purposes over the past 1,500 years and explores the often overlapping decorative, functional, and symbolic roles they have served.
Come to the CMA for a quick bite of art history. Every first Tuesday of each month, join curators, conservators, scholars, and other museum staff for 30-minute talks on objects currently on display in the museum galleries.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 9–10 a.m.
FREE
Sensory-Friendly Saturdays offer adaptations to meet diverse sensory-processing needs on the third Saturday of each month. Guests on the autism spectrum, people experiencing dementia, and people of all ages who have intellectual or developmental disabilities are invited to participate in a calming museum experience with less stimulation before the museum opens to the public—reducing crowds, noise, and distractions. Guests can explore the galleries at their own pace, relax in the designated “quiet area,” and share this time and space with open-minded members of the community.
Here are some things to know before planning your visit:
- All guests must pass through metal detectors at the entrance of the museum.
- Guests are encouraged to bring adaptive equipment, including wheelchairs, walkers, noise-reducing headphones, and technology. The Cleveland Museum of Art also offers a limited number of wheelchairs.
- The Cleveland Museum of Art’s store will be open at 9:00 a.m.
- Sensory-Friendly Saturdays are free. Parking in the garage is $14 for nonmembers, and $7 for members.
- Once guests enter on Saturdays, they are welcome to stay for the day. Museum doors open at 10:00 a.m. to the public.
- ARTIST IN THE ATRIUM
Saturday, Dec. 16, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
FREE
On the third Saturday of each month, stop by the Ames Family Atrium between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to get a firsthand look at the art-making process. Each session provides the opportunity to engage and interact with a different Northeast Ohio maker during pop-up demonstrations and activities. See their work unfold and learn how artists create. Explore a related selection of authentic objects from the CMA’s education art collection in a pop-up Art Up Close session. See, think, and wonder.
At this month’s event, explore the art form of traditional Chinese painting. Join artist Mitzi Lai as she demonstrates the process of painting florals and learn about the technique of mounting traditional Chinese paintings with conservator Ping-Chung Tseng.
This event is organized in conjunction with the exhibition China’s Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta.
