Music in the Museum: Born in America
Friday, June 19
Friday, July 31
Friday, August 28
6:00 pm
Celebrate 250 years of American musical spirit in this unique summer concert series. Set in our intimate gallery, these free performances explore the sounds of jazz—an art form born in America—through lively, engaging performances. Open to all, come enjoy great music and a shared celebration of American creativity.
July 31st
Highlighting swing era and bebop jazz, the concert will feature Chris Spies on piano, Chris Severin on bass, Clarence Johnson on sax, and John Milham on drums.
artTALK | Adam Test & the Venice Biennale
Thursday, August 20
12:00 - 1:00 pm
FREE | Open to the Public
Join us as Adam Trest speaks about his recent participation in the Venice Biennale, where his work was featured in an exhibition titled "A City Rising". Created 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, the exhibition explores how New Orleans has sustained its history through art and celebration, using creative practice as a form of cultural continuity — a tribute to the culture bearers, tradition-keepers, and storytellers who carried the city through renewal. In this talk, Trest will reflect on his experience exhibiting in Venice and offer a candid look at how the trip is influencing the direction of his art in ways he didn't expect.
ARTful Yoga
Wednesdays in September
9:00am
Free | No reservations required
Join us for an artful yoga class and engage in a practice that focuses on relaxation, balance, and strength! Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and bring their own yoga mat. Beginners are welcome and no experience or registration is required.
Exhibition Lecture | KIMONO: Garment, Canvas, and Artistic Muse
Thursday, September 17, 2026 5:30 p.m. Lecture
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Reception
Free and open to the public
Join us for a presentation by Leon Wiebers on the history and evolution of the kimono, offered in celebration of the exhibition. Wiebers will trace the garment’s origins, its changing forms and meanings, and its lasting influence on global fashion.
Wiebers is a costume designer, curator, and scholar whose work spans theatre, opera, and international exhibition projects. He serves as Professor of Costume Design at Loyola Marymount University, and he was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Research Award to South Korea examining traditional dress. His research focuses on global dress histories and cross-cultural design practices.
Back Roads & Back Stories
Thursday, September 24
5:30 - 7:00 pm
FREE | First come, first seated
Back Roads & Back Stories comes to Laurel for an evening of songs, stories, and the places that find their way into both. Drew Young, Cary Hudson, and Shelby Kemp bring very different musical histories to the stage, but all three share an interesting connection to Laurel: each has had a song featured in HGTV’s Home Town, where Mississippi music has become part of the soundtrack to stories about this community. Presented in the intimate setting of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, the three songwriters will trade songs and the stories behind them—where they came from, who inspired them, and how a particular town, road, person, or moment can eventually become a song. Back Roads & Back Stories was created around a simple idea: every place has its own songs, people, and stories. Rather than a traditional concert, the evening unfolds as a conversation between three writers whose music stretches across country, folk, rock & roll, and the many sounds that have grown out of Mississippi and the South. For one night in Laurel, the songs come back to a place that has already helped carry some of them into homes across the country.
Heritage Arts Festival
Saturday, October 3
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
LRMA Front Lawn
Free | No reservations required
Journey to Japan without leaving Laurel! Inspired by KIMONO: Garment, Canvas, and Artistic Muse, this year’s Heritage Arts Festival invites families to celebrate the art, color, and traditions of Japan. Enjoy hands-on art projects, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, and plenty of opportunities to explore and create together. Free pizza and soft drinks will be served at 11:30 am.
Music in the Museum
Sunday, October 18
2:00 pm
Free | No reservations required
Join us as Dr. Marcos Machado, double bass, and Dr. Ellen Elder, piano, present a compelling recital that highlights the expressive range of the string bass. The duo will perform music by Boccherini, Korngold, Villa-Lobos, Popper, Musumeci, and Frank Proto.
