If you don’t live in a big city, you can sometimes feel a little alienated from the cultural scenes that you enjoy – even if you love musical theater it might be hard to get to Broadway in New York or London’s West End to see Hamilton or Wicked or An American In Paris. But the truth is that no matter where you are in the world, you can find a little art and culture – and here’s how.
Washington DC Cityscape
Check Out Your Local Universities
A lot of universities have their own drama and musical theater clubs that put on productions that are of an incredibly high quality, so make sure you keep checking back on their websites to find out what their new shows are, and when they’re going to be on. From classic musicals like Guys and Dolls to Chekovian and Brechtian drama, students will put on pretty much every kind of show going – and one of the great things about student productions is that they aren’t constricted by the same kind of budget pressure that big theater companies are, so they can afford to be more experimental and original.
Get Streaming
If you don’t have a great independent cinema near you, never fear – you can always use an app like the one on this page to start streaming some incredible films. Don’t forget that TV shows are some of the most innovative works of art out there these days – there’s a reason that a lot of big movie stars like Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman are starting to make the move over to TV. Use streaming to bring arthouse cinema into your own home without having to build up a huge collection of expensive DVDs.
Go To Local Art Displays
Let’s face it, no matter how good it is, art is still art – and if there are any amateur art shows near you, go along and support them and make any donations that you can so that art classes can continue to run. Not only will you get to see some works that could potentially be great but you’ll also get to meet like-minded people who are also interested in art and culture.
Get Online
If you want to do research into what exactly is going on in your area, you’re going to need to get online. Sign up to local theater and gallery newsletters, look at what’s happening at local high schools and colleges, follow arts organizations and publishers on Twitter so you know what music is big and what books are being released and what trends are currently happening. The internet is the best way to keep abreast of artistic events.
Create Something Yourself
Finally, if there isn’t enough of a cultural buzz in your area, it’s time to create one yourself. Set up a book group by putting up flyers in local libraries and bookstores, and create your own art show in whatever space that you can get (a lot of coffee shops and cafes might be happy to work with you there). Use your initiative to make something beautiful.
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