Spotlight Concert Series wraps up its celebration of local music on Nov. 12

Two people eat on a terrace overlooking live music on an outdoor lawn in the evening

Oklahoma City bluegrass band Steelwind performs on the North Lawn of the new Oklahoma Contemporary as part of the Spotlight Concert Series presented with Arts Council OKC.

Music is in the air at your new arts center. Beginning in September, Oklahoma Contemporary began presenting live concerts on the North Lawn of our new building in downtown OKC in partnership with Arts Council Oklahoma City. Inspired by our inaugural Bright Golden Haze, the Spotlight Concert Series celebrates the “bright future” of Oklahoma City’s entertainment community with unforgettable live performances.

Part of Bright Golden Haze: Reflections, a series of satellite exhibitions related to our inaugural exhibition, the biweekly performances have offered a chance for the OKC community to safely come together and connect through live music, a rare treat in these days of physical distance. Attendees reserve a socially distanced circle — an 8 foot space for up to four people, scattered across the grass, as shown above.

"I think it has really offered a reprieve for people during the pandemic," said Arts Council OKC Projects Director Seth Lewis. "The arts are healing; they can lift your moods and emotions. This concert series has been a great way to let people sort of take a deep breath and see that the arts are alive and well in Oklahoma City."

A performer sings into a microphone with a live band on an outdoor stage in the evening

Sophia Massad performs during a Spotlight Concert at Oklahoma Contemporary.

That connection to the broader local arts community is a key component of the Bright Golden Haze: Reflections series. “By partnering with some of the many creative not-for-profit groups in Oklahoma City to present works inspired by Bright Golden Haze, we’re able to enhance our new arts center’s impact on the community,” said Oklahoma Contemporary Artistic Director Jeremiah Davis. “The projects in Reflections set the stage for a citywide celebration of contemporary creativity, forging connections and encouraging dialogue between art forms and organizations.”

Thursday's performance with the Charles Burton Band is sold out, but you can stream the show on Arts Council OKC's YouTube channel beginning tomorrow night at 7 p.m. CST. In the meantime, check out videos below from past performances and get ready for more community-focused collaborations to come.