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<\/p>\nCelebrate Black History Month with \u201cGlo Up,\u201d a new exhibition at Loiter Galleries spotlighting Black artists working across a wide range of mediums.<\/p>\n
The opening night on Saturday, Feb. 14, coincides with the Downtown Long Beach Art + Design Walk, making this an ideal stop during the citywide arts celebration.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlo Up\u201d brings together four artists whose work embodies resilience, innovation, and creative evolution within the Black community.<\/p>\n
Illustrator James Brooks uses watercolors and inks to explore connections to ancestry and cultural inheritance, while Myriam Loeschen brings the \u201cglo\u201d through bold, brilliantly colored abstract works that make eye-catching statements. Nia Simone creates deeply personal work rooted in her identity, and Torin Ashtun expresses a deep love of the rich texture and expressive possibilities of oil painting.<\/p>\n
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The DTLB Alliance\u2019s Downtown Art + Design walk will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 14. (Photo courtesy of DTLB Alliance).\n<\/p>\n
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Loiter Galleries will spotlight Black artists in its \u201cGlo Up\u201d exhibit, on show through March 21. (Photo courtesy of Loiter Galleries).\n<\/p>\n
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The DTLB Alliance\u2019s Downtown Art + Design walk will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 14. (Photo courtesy of DTLB Alliance).\n<\/p>\n
Expand<\/a><\/p>\n Simply put, there\u2019s much to love about this exhibition.<\/p>\n Opening night runs from 5 p.m. t o 8 p.m., while the DTLB Art + Design Walk takes place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., during which the exhibition will also be open to visitors. For a full map of Art + Design Walk installations and exhibits, go to shorturl.at\/8kXiV<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cGlo Up\u201d will be on view through March 21, and admission is free with donations appreciated. Check out loitergalleries.com<\/a> for additional info.<\/p>\n Long Beach Ballet Academy<\/p>\n The Long Beach Ballet Academy will bring William Shakespeare\u2019s most mischievous comedy to the stage in dance form with their company showcase of \u201cA Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream\u201d on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at Lakewood High School Auditorium.<\/p>\n Romance, magic, and glorious confusion collide as four young lovers escape into an enchanted forest, only to be thrown into chaos by a fairy\u2019s love potion.<\/p>\n Add feuding fairy royalty and a group of well-meaning but hopelessly inept craftsmen rehearsing a play into the mix \u2014 and things get wonderfully weird and enchantingly enticing.<\/p>\n This production is an original ballet by David Wilcox, adapted from Shakespeare\u2019s play and set to the expressive, dramatic music of Sergei Prokofiev.<\/p>\n What makes David Wilcox\u2019s \u201cA Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream\u201d for Long Beach Ballet especially intriguing is his decision not to use Felix Mendelssohn\u2019s famous incidental music to the play, which most audiences immediately associate with Shakespeare\u2019s comedy.<\/p>\n It\u2019s Wilcox\u2019s way of making this production fresh and distinctive.<\/p>\n Historically, the work holds a special place in Long Beach Ballet\u2019s heart. It was performed by the professional company from 1985 to 1996 and even toured internationally, including performances in Taiwan.<\/p>\n This whimsical ballet is a great Valentine\u2019s weekend treat, so be sure to reserve your spot at longbeachballet.com\/midsummer<\/a>.<\/p>\n Long Beach Symphony<\/p>\n Valentine\u2019s Day gets a big, soulful soundtrack when the Long Beach Symphony Pops presents \u201cEndless Love \u2013 A Valentine\u2019s Concert\u201d at the Long Beach Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14.<\/p>\n Led by conductor Herb Smith and featuring vocalists Chester Gregory and Shayna Steele, the evening blends classic romantic hits with the Symphony\u2019s signature Pops flair for a concert that\u2019s actually a thinly-disguised dance party.<\/p>\n Gregory and Steele bring timeless love songs to life with a lineup packed with unforgettable solos and duets. The program spans generations of romance, with favorites like \u201cCould It Be I\u2019m Falling in Love,\u201d \u201cWhat\u2019s Love Got to Do with It,\u201d \u201cLet\u2019s Get It On,\u201d \u201c(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher,\u201d \u201cStand By Me,\u201d \u201cAt Last,\u201d and more.<\/p>\n This is music made for swaying close, singing along, and falling in love all over again.<\/p>\n Adding to the magic is the relaxed vibe that makes Long Beach Symphony Pops concerts a standout. For example, doors open at 6 p.m. for indoor picnicking, and audiences are encouraged to bring their own food, libations, and even festive table decorations.<\/p>\n Two dance floors surround the stage, and dancing is highly encouraged throughout the evening. \u201cEndless Love\u201d hopes to offer a joyful night of music, movement, and heartfelt melodies in the spirit of love. Get tickets at longbeachsymphony.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Student art<\/p>\n Long Beach City College\u2019s Juried Student Art Exhibition kicks off Saturday, Feb. 28.<\/p>\n A longstanding tradition at LBCC, this exhibition spotlights the most outstanding work from LBCC\u2019s Visual and Media Arts Department.<\/p>\n As a juried (judged) exhibition, it\u2019s a celebration of emerging talent while offering students a meaningful bridge between academic study and professional artistic practice.<\/p>\n Each year, the exhibition recognizes excellence and this year there will be a total of $2,000 in prizes awarded to three exceptional student artists.<\/p>\n Beyond the awards, the show serves as an important platform for students to experience the realities of exhibition, critique, and public presentation \u2014 skills essential for careers in the arts \u2014 while also enriching the cultural life of the campus and our surrounding community.<\/p>\n The exhibition opens with a public reception on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., inviting visitors to meet the artists and explore the work on view. The celebration concludes with a closing reception and award ceremony on Thursday, March 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., when prize recipients will be announced.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s Student Art Prize Jury includes Selene Preciado, a Los Angeles\u2013based contemporary art curator specializing in Latin American and diasporic perspectives. As curator and director of programs at LACE, Preciado is known for developing research-driven exhibitions that explore memory, language, and culture. Her professional background includes work with the Getty, MOCA, MOLAA, and major binational projects.<\/p>\n She brings a thoughtful and expansive curatorial lens to this year\u2019s exhibition.<\/p>\n Together, the 2026 Juried Student Art Exhibition and its accompanying events offer a compelling look at the next generation of artists coming out of LBCC.<\/p>\n