ARTS PICKS | May 3-5

Jacksonville Today Arts and Culture Editor Matt Shaw shares his arts and culture picks for the weekend.

Friday 

Artists as Activists Tour + Jax Symphony String Quartet 

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens | Riverside 

On Friday, the Cummer offers two enticing ways to enjoy the revered Riverside cultural institution with a special activism-focused, guided tour and a musical performance. From 5:30-7:30 p.m. the Jacksonville Symphony String Quartet will perform inside the museum, and from 6-7 p.m. the Cummer hosts an Artists as Activists Tour of its permanent collection, offering a unique lens through which to view the artists’ commentary on representation and race, environmental issues and religious oppression. Both are free to enjoy with admission. More information. 

Saturday

The Art of the Figure Workshop

MOCA | Downtown Jacksonville

Local multi-disciplinary artist William McMahan leads a figure drawing workshop at MOCA Jacksonville on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. MOCA’s life-drawing series is designed for artists of all levels of experience and focuses on essential figure drawing skills, including general proportions and anatomical landmarks. Participants study a live nude model and learn techniques to create dynamic figures. BYOB materials. Newsprint and charcoal are recommended, but any drawing medium is acceptable. 18+ only. Tickets: $20 for members and $30 for nonmembers. Get them here. 

Saturday 

Organ Chamber Music 

Jacoby Symphony Hall | Downtown Jacksonville 

The Jacksonville Symphony’s Organ Series comes to a close with a special performance led by Assistant Conductor Grant O’Brien and featuring Organ Series curator, the masterful organist Greg Zelek. String and wind players from the symphony and a selection of chamber repertoire join Zelek for the performance. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and more information. 

Sunday 

Terence Blanchard 

Jacoby Symphony Hall | Downtown Jacksonville 

Trumpeter and composer, the mighty Terence Blanchard is an artistic force. (Duval-bred, Grammy-winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. calls Blanchard “one of the most important creative voices of the last four decades.”) He’s won Grammys and been nominated for Oscars, written and recorded unimpeachably inventive jazz albums, composed operas and film scores and more. On Sunday, Blanchard performs original works and songs from Wayne Shorter’s catalog with E-Collective and Turtle Island String Quartet as part of the Jacksonville Symphony’s Jazz Series. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets and more information.