Music, Movement, Exhibitions and Unforgettable Moments
This Spring experience it all at the Smithsonian-affiliate Irving Arts Center, an exciting destination in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth where visual and performing artists entertain, educate and inspire audiences.
FEATURED EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Season Finale: Cirque Rocks with Cirque De La Symphonie
Presented by Irving Symphony Orchestra
April 25 @ 7:30PM
Experience the ultimate fusion of sight and sound in this all-new show from Cirque de la Symphonie. High-powered vocalists and the Irving Symphony Orchestra turn up the volume on your favorite tunes by the Beatles, the Eagles, Aerosmith, Journey, and more. All the while, a troupe of world-class circus artists – aerialists, acrobats, contortionists, and jugglers – perform daring and breathtaking feats above and among the musicians. An incredible close to Irving Symphony Orchestra’s 63rd season!
Other Can’t Miss Events
Whether you have a taste for theater, want to be dazzled by dance, or have set your sights on being serenaded by song, Irving Arts Center is the place to be! Gardens and cultures clash turning friendly neighbors into feuding enemies in Native Gardens, a hillarious comedy presented March 6-21 by MainStage. On March 20, Fever Dallas turns up the heat with Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in Dazzling Lights. The very next night, on March 21, a concert paying tribute to two legendary crooners, Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble, will be presented by Entertainment Series of Irving.
Art in Bloom: Immerse Yourself in Art this Spring
Spilling out from the Smithsonian Affiliate Irving Arts Center’s front doorstep is a two-acre oasis with flora, a waterfall, and fountains. The serene sculpture garden features works by Texas artists: James Surls (Star Flower, 2008), Jesus Moroles (Fountain Columns, 1998) and Michael Manjarris (Benches, 1999). Other works include Francisco Mendoza’s monumental pictorial mosaic, Irving Centennial Mural (2003), and Reuben Nakian’s Goddess of the Golden Thighs (1964-1965/cast 1969-1974), on long-term loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
Stunning Exhibitions on View at Irving Arts Center
Inside the walls of Irving Arts Center, five gallery spaces feature rotating exhibitions from local, national and international artists. A carefully curated experience awaits… And the best part, it’s all FREE! The art at Irving Arts Center is always free to view. Galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday from 12-5PM. Check out a quick preview of coming exhibitions, and start planning your visit!
The Memory I Still Carry: Jason Thing
(MFA Thesis Exhibition)
Feb. 28 – March 28, 2026
Focus Gallery, Irving Arts Center
Jason Phyo Thing is a ceramic artist and an MFA candidate at University of Dallas (Irving). This thesis exhibition is a reflection on the fragile boundary between memory and identity which connects what was lost and what endures. Each of the ceramic sculptures featured in the installation are envisioned as vessels of remembrance, shaped by the artist’s journey from Burma (Myanmar) through years of displacement to life in the United States.
Russell Lee Photographs
March 14– June 13, 2026
Dupree Lobby Gallery, Irving Arts Center
This traveling exhibition of photographs by renowned documentary photographer Russell Lee offers a rare glimpse into the remarkable images he produced in 1935 and 1936 when he first took up a camera and goes on to highlight the vast body of important work that Lee produced from 1947 through 1977. The stunning images captured by Lee focus on categories such as politics, travel, industry and, most touchingly, the human condition.
Touch My Soil: Paintings by Pouran Lashini
March 14– July 11, 2026
Carpenter Hall Lobby, Irving Arts Center
For Pouran Lashini, art is more than expression—it is a conversation, a contribution, and a mirror of the shared human experience. Trained in Persian miniature painting and calligraphy from a young age, her work has since evolved from the precision of miniatures to the emotional depth of oil realism, now embracing abstraction and contemporary elements—including the use of words as a visual and conceptual layer. Centered on color, her paintings explore contrasts of light and darkness, tradition and innovation, silence and expression—brought to life through layered pigments and movement.
Echoes of Wonder: Paintings & Sculpture by Marilyn Jolly and Larry Graeber
May 9 – June 6, 2026
Main Gallery, Irving Arts Center
This exhibition features paintings, sculpture and mixed media works by Texas artists Larry Graeber and Marilyn Jolly. Both have an affinity for found and salvaged materials and an interest in the associations those materials suggest. They also share a clear sense of play and improvisation in their work balanced by their use of structure, pattern, repetition and a method of curious investigation that finds the answer in the process.
Beyond Irving Arts Center: Explore Irving’s Connected Cultural Trail
The City of Irving’s Department of Arts & Culture (IDAC) oversees a vast array of entertainment amenities, museums, and historic sites. They include the Smithsonian-affiliated Irving Arts Center, Irving Archives & Museum, The Mustangs of Las Colinas Museum and Visitors Center, the Ruth Paine House Museum, and Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center. All are located within the city limits of Irving, Texas, a short drive apart. So make a day of it and visit multiple arts and cultural destinations!
FEATURED EXHIBITION SPOTLIGHT
The Perfect Shot: Walter Looss Jr. and the Art of Sports Photography
April 6 – August 11, 2026
Irving Archives & Museum
Over his long career, photographer Walter Iooss Jr. had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest athletes of the past sixty years, capturing on film carefully crafted moments of triumph and disappointment—universal emotions that athletes and non-athletes alike know so well.
The Perfect Shot: Walter Iooss Jr., and the Art of Sports Photography takes visitors through some of the most inspiring moments in sports history and highlights the craft and talent that transformed these moments into art. The exhibit features athletes as diverse as Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, and many more.
Cultural Sites and Museums in Irving
- Irving Archives & Museum Local History & Interactive Exhibits
- Ruth Paine House Museum National Historic Landmark & Immersive Experience
- Mustangs of Las Colinas Iconic Outdoor Sculpture & Museum
- Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center African American Heritage & History
Resources & Helpful Links
- Museums & Sites: The Irving Archives & Museum serves as the central hub for Irving’s collection of historical museums and sites.
- See, Do, Dine, Stay: For more things to see and do, where to stay and what to eat, Visit Irving is your one-stop resource.
- Irving Arts Center: Check out Irving Arts Center’s events calendar for a full listing of upcoming performances and exhibitions. Secure your tickets and set aside a block of time to peruse the galleries!
- Social Media/Newsletter Signup:
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We can’t wait to see you!
