Arts and Culture Calendar (April 2023)

This arts and culture calendar features SFCA grantees, partners, and Hawaiʻi state and local government programs and events. Questions regarding a particular program or event should be directed to the organization listed with the opportunity. Inclusion here should not be interpreted as an endorsement. 

Highlights from this list were shared in the April 2023 SFCA email newsletter. To subscribe, scroll down to the bottom of this page.

• Art at the Capitol, Friday April 14 – the Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s annual Art at the Capitol event is scheduled for Friday, April 14, 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. Participating offices will stay open for the evening and visitors can pick up a guidebook to SFCA Art in Public Places Collection artworks currently installed at the Capitol.  
• Bamboo Ridge Press and Windward Community College “Out Loud in the Library” Thursday, April 13, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., Hale Aʻo (Hawaiian Studies building). Four writers tasked with going beyond science fiction and fantasy will read from their works published in a special issue of Bamboo Ridge titled “Snaring New Suns: Speculative Works from Hawaiʻi and Beyond”. Free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the University of Hawaiʻi News website: hawaii.edu/news/2023/03/29/writers-imagine-otherwise.
• Bamboo Ridge Press and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi (JCCH) “Talk Story with Author Scott Kikkawa” April 22, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Reading and discussion is free and open to the public; registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit the JCCH website: jcch.com/events/talk-story-author-scott-kikkawa.
• Bishop Museum “Ola Ka Noʻeau: Excellence in Hawaiian Artistry” exhibit, through October 29, 2023. Visitors will experience the reaffirming practice and artwork from a Native Hawaiian perspective throughout the gallery. Works on view will include examples of featherwork, barkcloth, tool-making, decorated gourds, visual design, and plaiting. For more information, please visit the Bishop Museum website: BishopMuseum.org/OKN.
• City and County of Honolulu, Department of Parks and Recreation 95th annual Lei Day Celebration will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023 at Kapiʻolani Park, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The theme is Lei Kuahiwi – Mountain Lei. Learn more on the DPR website: honolulu.gov/parks/program/182-site-dpr-cat/1685-lei-day. 
• City and County of Honolulu, Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (Honolulu MoCA) Aloha Oʻahu Mele Competition. The Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts is hosting a social media Hawaiian song composition contest. Details and application form on the Honolulu MoCA website: HonoluluMoca.org/events-one.
• City and County of Honolulu, Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (Honolulu MoCA) and the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) Pāʻina Pōʻalima live music and performances at the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, Friday April 28, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Free admission, all ages welcome.
• Cyril Pahinui Waimānalo Kanikapila, Saturday April 22. Streaming live from Waimānalo on Facebook and YouTube! For more information, please visit CyrilPahinui.com.
• East-West Fest, Sunday April 16, free and open to the public. The East-West Center’s annual cultural festival. For more information, please visit the East-West Center website: EastWestCenter.org/education/student-programs/current-ewc-students/east-west-fest. 
• First Hawaiian Center gallery at First Hawaiian Bank (downtown Honolulu) exhibit “Hawaiʻiā intersecting flows” Margo Ray, Jisoo Boggs, Carl F.K. Pao, on view April 16 – August 19, 2023. 
• Garden Club of Honolulu “Oceans: Beyond the Reef” show at Honolulu Museum of Art, June 23-25. Last November, the annual Conservation Study Conference hosted by the Garden Club of America presented “Protecting Island Earth,” featuring cultural practitioners and scientists, such as Nainoa Thompson and Chipper Wichman, who shared the ancient Hawaiian practice of coaxing greater health and abundance from the ecosystem by adopting cultural values to improve scientific outcomes. This bio-cultural approach, which once allowed more than a million Native Hawaiians to live in abundance with limited resources over a thousand years, is being paired with modern science and technology in Hawai‘i and abroad to mitigate climate change and heal our planet. Segments from the virtual conference will be screened in the Doris Duke Theatre during the flower show. Learn more on the Honolulu Museum of Art website: HonoluluMuseum.org. 
• Hawaiʻi Craftsmen 2023 Raku Hoʻolauleʻa exhibition at the Downtown Art Center, April 7 – April 29. Opening reception and awards ceremony Friday April 7, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. For more information, please visit the Hawaiʻi Craftsmen website: HawaiiCraftsmen.org.
• Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities and the Donkey Mill Art Center “Mai Ka Maka ʻIke: Visualizing Identity Through (Re)Presentation” panel discussion, Saturday April 1, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Donkey Mill Art Center (Holualoa, Hawaiʻi Island). Registration is required: DonkeyMillArtCenter.org/event/?event=4351.
• Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra
  • “Symphony of the Hawaiʻi Forests” brings together music, art, science, hula, and storytelling to better connect the keiki with the forests of Hawai‘i through an immersive performance that fully embodies the collaborative spirit. 4th-12th grade students, teachers, and chaperones are invited to register to attend the concerts, which take place April 20 and 21 at the Hawaiʻi Theatre Center (downtown Honolulu). For more information and to register, please go to SymphonyOfTheHawaiiForests.com.
  • “Beyond the Music” April 13, 7:30 p.m. at Studio 909. “Beyond the Music” is a series that previews the Masterworks concerts with the orchestra playing excerpts from the repertoire, helping to give context and encourage curiosity in the minds of keiki and kupuna alike as a standalone performance, or before attending Masterworks concerts. Programs are carefully curated by guest conductors and local humanities leaders to create an evening of music and knowledge sharing that is unique to Hawai’i. For more information, please visit the HSO website: myhso.org.
• Donkey Mill Art Center “Mai Ka Maka ʻIke: Visualizing Identity Through (Re)Presentation” exhibit, March 18 – July 8, 2023. This exhibit explores identity and representation of Kanaka Ōiwi and people of the Pacific through contemporary artworks activating stories of people, places and cultures which have been historically and contemporaneously misrepresented and erased. By re-centering voices and perspectives, artists reclaim the narrative. Learn more on the Donkey Mill Art Center website: DonkeyMillArtCenter.org/event/?event=4341.
• Hawaiʻi Craftsmen 2023 Raku Hoʻolauleʻa exhibition at the Downtown Art Center, April 7 – April 29. Opening reception and awards ceremony Friday April 7, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. For more information, please visit the Hawaiʻi Craftsmen website: HawaiiCraftsmen.org.
• Hawaiʻi Handweavers’ Hui and The Glass Fusion Collective “Surrounded by Water” juried art exhibition, Downtown Art Center (Honolulu), August 2-18, 2023. Online registration begins July 1, 2023. For more information, please contact the Hawaiʻi Handweavers Hui at [email protected] or visit their website at HawaiiHandweavers.org.  
• Hawaiʻi Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences (HIMELE) Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festivals
  • Kauaʻi Hawaiian Steel Guitar Symposium, Sheraton Coconut Beach Resort May 3-4
  • Kauaʻi Steel Guitar Festival, Sheraton Coconut Beach Resort May 4-6 and Kukui Grove Center May 7. 2023
  • Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase – Livestream April 22, May 4, June 10. For more information, please visit the HIMELE website: himele.org/hmevents.html. 
• Hawaiian Mission Houses ʻOhe Kapala carving workshops by Nalu Andrade of Nā Maka Kahiko, April 8, May 13, June 3. 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. For more information, please visit the Hawaiian Mission Houses website: MissionHouses.org. 
• Hawaiʻi State Public Library System free events at public libraries include storytime, crafting, and music performances. Learn more about public library events on the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System website: LibrariesHawaii.org/events. 
• Honolulu Chamber Music Series: Ocean Music Action featuring musicians of The Knights, Saturday, April 8, 2023, 7:30 p.m. at Orvis Auditorium, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. outreach.hawaii.edu/events/honolulu-chamber-music-series-ocean-music-action-featuring-musicians-of-the-knights.
• Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (MoCA) Korean Artists Association of Hawaiʻi Exhibition through April 6. For more information, please visit the MoCA website: HonoluluMoca.org/korean-artists-association-of-hawaii-2023.
• Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) “Flower/Power: Botanical Illustration, Colonization, and Resistance” presentation Saturday April 1, 7:00 p.m. Free with museum admission, reservation required. Learn more on the HoMA website: HonoluluMuseum.org/events/15760. 
• Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) Cultural Animation Film Festival (CAFF) Springfest 2023 April 14-16. Opening night celebration Friday April 14, 7:00 p.m. CAFF for Kids Sunday, April 16, 2:00 p.m. Learn more on the HoMA website: HonoluluMuseum.org/theatre/caff-springfest-2023. 
• Iolani Palace Kamaʻāina Sunday free tours, live entertainment, family-friendly activities. April 2, 2023, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Learn more on the Iolani Palace website: Kamaaina Sundays – Iolani Palace. IolaniPalace.org/visit/kamaaina-sundays. 
• Kamuela Philharmonic “Kona Pops!” concert, Sunday April 5, 5:30 p.m. at King’s Shops in Waikoloa. Free admission. Kamuela Philharmonic website: https://kamuelaphil.org/  
• Kauaʻi Society of Artists (KSA) exhibits at the KSA Gallery, Kukui Grove Center.
  • Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, April 15 – 23, 2023.
  • Juljiana Pinnock exhibit, April 25 – May 9, 2023.
  • “We Are Here” group show (Lora Finelli, Shannon Hiramoto, Samual Schryver), May 12 – 24, 2023
  • “Washed Up – A Marine Debris Art Show” with Surfrider Foundation Kauaʻi, June 3 – 23, 2023.
  • For more information, please visit the KSA website: KauaiSocietyOfArtists.org. 
• Ke Kumu Hawaiʻi “Pāʻieʻie: The Rise of Hawaiian Twining” an exhibition of Hawaiian Twining, April 10-13, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Piʻopiʻo Hale, Building 389-B, Hawaiʻi Community College Hilo. SFCA Folk and Traditional Arts grantees Kumulāʻau Sing and Haunani Balino-Sing feature the work of six of their students in this exhibit of ulana ʻie: hīnaʻi (baskets), hīnaʻi iʻa (fish traps), and kiʻi (akua, ʻaumakua and kaʻai). Learn more on the Ke Kumu Hawaiʻi website: KeKumuHawaii.com/home.
• Kipaipai Workshops at Donkey Mill Art Center (Holualoa, Hawaiʻi Island) June 2-4, 2023. This special program at the Donkey Mill Art Center in beautiful Holualoa, Hawai’i will focus on professional practices in areas of gallery representation and museum exhibitions, self-promotion, use of social media in promotion, the importance of relevant critical writing, presentation, and identifying and strategizing personal/professional goals. 16 participants will be selected by our Jury of professionals for a two-day workshop focused on best professional practices in the creative industry. Applications due March 21, 2023. For more information and to apply, please visit the Kipaipai website: kipaipai.com. 
• Leeward Community College (Pearl City, Oʻahu) will soon be home to a new art gallery to showcase works from LCC students, faculty, and other artists. Meanwhile, the LCC Arts website (Leeward.hawaii.edu/the-arts) and Instagram (@LeewardCCart) feature artworks by LCC students and faculty.  
• Loʻi Gallery at American Savings Bank (downtown Honolulu) featuring Cameron Brooks, Saumolia Puapuaga, Spencer Chang, and Stephen Yuen through May 2023. Learn more about the exhibit and how to showcase your art in the Loʻi Gallery on the American Savings Bank Hawaiʻi website: asbhawaii.com/loigallery. 
• Manoa Valley Theatre presents “The Play That Goes Wrong” May 11-28; “The Chinese Lady” July 13-30. For more information, please visit the MVT website: ManoaValleyTheatre.com. 
• Royal Hawaiian Band free lunchtime concerts at Iolani Palace every Friday at noon.  For more information call 808-522-0822 or visit www.IolaniPalace.org. 
• Wailoa Arts Center 2023 Exhibits (Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island) 
  • “MANA” curated by Nelson and Kainoa Makua, April 7-27, 2023 
  • “10x10x10 Artists Challenge” May 5-25, 2023 
  • “6^th Annual MidSummer Art Celebration” June 2-28, 2023 
  • “In the Time of Climate Change” July 7-27, 2023 
  • “13^th Annual Abstract Only!” August 4 – September 14, 2023 
  • “Toi o Taranaki ke ti Tonga” October 6-26, 2023 
  • “15^th Annual Hawaiʻi Nei” November 3 – December 14, 2023 
  • Learn more on the Wailoa Arts Center website: WailoaCenter.com. 
• West Hawaiʻi County Band free concerts 4:00 p.m. Sunday April 2, April 30, and May 28 at Hale Hālāwai on Aliʻi Drive in Kailua-Kona. This concert series is brought to you in part by the County of Hawai’i Parks and Recreation Department and the West Hawai‘i County Band Friends. http://www.westhawaiiband.com/  
• University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa (UHM) Department of Art and Art History  
  • “Garakustashu: A Network for Modern Craft and Design” through May 2023 at the John Young Museum of Art, University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa.  
  • “The Other Side” BFA exhibition, April 19 – May 7, 2023. 
  • Learn more on the UHM Art and Art History Department website: hawaii.edu/art/exhibitions-events-museum. 
• University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa (UHM) College of Social Sciences, Matsunaga Institute for Peace.
  • Hawaiʻi film premiere: “Sakura and Pearls: Healing from World War II” followed by a panel discussion. Thursday, April 6, 2023, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. RSVP at eventbrite.com/e/hawaii-film-premiere-sakura-and-pearls-healing-from-world-war-ii-tickets-534808525697.
• University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa (UHM) Better Tomorrow Speaker Series: incisive conversations on the most important questions of our time.  
  • Amitav Ghosh, “The Nutmeg’s Curse: Climate, Colonialism and Global Geopolitics” Tuesday, April 18, 2023, 6:30 p.m. Art Auditorium, UHM Campus. 
  • Nicholas Christakis, “Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society” Thursday May 18, 6:30 p.m., John A. Burns School of Medicine, MEB 315, Auditorium. 
  • Alpin Hong, Thursday, May 25, 6:30 p.m. Orvis Auditorium, UHM Campus (details to be announced). 
  • Julian Aguon, Indigenous human rights lawyer, Thursday, September 21, 2023 (details to be announced). 
  • Learn more and register on the UHM website: manoa.hawaii.edu/speakers 

This post was last updated on April 10, 2023.