Cultural Affairs Expands Performing Arts Reach in Virginia Beach with New and Returning Free Neighborhood Events

VBGIGs (Virginia Beach Globally Inspired Gatherings), a series of free public performances bringing world-class, culturally rooted performing artists to Virginia Beach neighborhoods is returning in spring and summer 2024. Additionally, a brand-new performing arts series, Arts All Over is scheduled to begin in spring 2024.

Arts All Over is a small-scale pilot program designed to bring performing arts of all genres to people in their neighborhoods. This series explores the theme of “home” through theater, music and dance.

The Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department designed the art series to support the City of Virginia Beach’s FY24-25 Focused Action Plan, which included the City Council’s initiative to enhance the reach and distribution of arts throughout the city. These exciting, free performing arts series are designed to bring the cultural arts to residents throughout the city to foster an inspiring and vibrant environment where people feel safe and have access to amenities and services that support a high quality of life.

See below for the current spring and summer 2024 Arts All Over and VBGIGs event schedule. All performances are free and open to the public.

Sunday, March 17, at 2 p.m.
VBGIGs presents: Mediterranean Blues featuring Melos
Simon Family Jewish Community Center, 5000 Corporate Woods Dr.
Spyros Koliavasilis and his protégé Nicholas Mitrione perform together in the duo known as Melos, meaning melody in Greek. This free, family-friendly concert features Rebetiko music, sometimes referred to as the Greek Blues. Started by people known as Rebetis — marginalized communities, such as refugees and the urban working class of the 1920s and 1930s — it captures the feelings of oppression, despair, hope and love like no other music.

Melos duo will perform a selection of songs and present a meet and greet in the Fleder Multipurpose Room. Program presented in partnership with Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral; the Greek Embassy of Washington, D.C.; and the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Friday, March 22, at 6 p.m.
Arts All Over: All Roads Lead to Home
Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia (Rosemont Club), 1505 Competitor Ct.
This play for all ages takes us on a journey home through stories, music and even a little Shakespeare! In 45 minutes you'll travel around the world and back to the 757, reflecting that there's truly no place like home.

Presented in partnership with Roūge VA.

Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m.
Arts All Over: Sounds Like Home
Military Aviation Museum, 1341 Princess Anne Rd. 
What does HOME sound like? In this exhilarating cabaret, we embark on a joyful journey through the sounds of the people, places and things that define home. This lively sonic extravaganza complete with a live band and backup singers will have you moving and grooving.

Presented in partnership with Roūge VA.

Sunday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
VBGIGs presents: Festa Brasil featuring Dendê & Band
Virginia Museum Of Contemporary Art (Virginia MOCA), 2200 Parks Ave.
Dendê and Band will bring Carnival to Virginia Beach! This tropical, traditional-meets-funkadelic extravaganza will have you out of your seat and grooving to the sounds of Brasil in a whole new way. Dendê & Band embodies a cross-pollination of deep roots in Samba de Roda and Candomblé blended with an eclectic palette like rumba, afrobeat and mbalax.

Dendê will also host his solo Recycled Sounds demo-performance in honor of Earth Day and the Virginia MOCA exhibit, Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman: Journey to Nature’s Underworld, which explores our strained relationship with the environment. Specific performance times will be posted at Virginia MOCA’s Family Fest entrance.

Program presented in partnership with Virginia MOCA and the Mamadêlê Foundation.

Saturday, May 4, at 2 p.m.

VBGIGs presents: Classical Dance of India featuring Padmarani Rasiah Cantu
Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd.  
Come and journey with us to another land, into the timeless and alluring mythology of India! Join Padmarani Rasiah Cantu and her senior disciple, Bhagya Nair, as they share exciting, dramatic and epic tales from India through Bharatha Natyam, a classical Indian dance form over 2,000 years old. It began as a temple worship and is now performed at venues throughout the world, giving audiences a chance to experience the beauty and mystery of India while advancing an understanding of its people and traditions.

Program presented in partnership with Virginia Beach Public Library and Asian Indians of Hampton Roads.

Friday, July 12, at 7 p.m.

VBGIGS presents: Amor a Mexico: An Evening with the Grammy Award-Winning Villalobos Brothers
Zeiders American Dream Theater, 4509 Commerce St.
The music of Mexico has long been unforgettably unique, but when the Villalobos Brothers perform their distinctive brand of contemporary folk music from Veracruz, it is electrifying, intoxicating and extraordinary! Experience music inspired by their childhoods in Veracruz, Mexico. Blending Son Jarocho, Son Huasteco, and Latin Jazz, they spark an unforgettable vision of the sound of the Mexican spirit. Their music bridges cultures, and their stories of immigration and achievement inspire all. Fall in love with Mexico, its music and its most dynamic band of brothers.

Program presented in partnership with La Selecta, the Hispanic Leadership Forum of Hampton Roads Inc. and the Zeiders American Dream Theater.

Additional 2024 Arts All Over and VBGIGs performances will be announced as scheduled. For more information about VBGIGs events, and to register for your free tickets, visit culture.virginiabeach.gov/events, or email artsinfo@vbgov.com.

ABOUT THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT:
The Cultural Affairs Department engages residents and visitors through meaningful arts, heritage and cultural experiences to connect and strengthen communities. The department assists and directs the Virginia Beach Arts & Humanities Commission, coordinates the City's Public Art Program, oversees the Virginia Beach History Museums, provides contract management for the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, serves as the liaison with Virginia MOCA and the ViBe Creative District, and serves as a resource to local arts and humanities organizations.