Jeremy Nedd, from rock to rock... aka how magnolia was taken for granite. Photo: Philip Frowein. Courtesy the artist.
Performing arts are art in motion. They unfold live—on stage, in the street, or anywhere people gather—to share stories, emotions, and ideas. Spanning contemporary dance, experimental theater, new music, jazz, improvisation, and hybrid forms that defy labels, the performing arts bring time, space, and presence into creative harmony.
The performing arts are central to how the Walker Art Center understands the world. Since the 1960s, our Performing Arts Department has supported bold work by artists who push performance into new territory. We go beyond presenting shows by helping create them, through commissions, residencies, and collaboration with global and local artists.
The Walker brings performing arts to life at the McGuire Theater—a state-of-the-art black box venue that blurs the line between audience and performer. But performance here isn’t confined to any single space. It ventures into galleries, gardens, and the broader city, reflecting our belief that art should meet people where they are.
So what are performing arts? They’re not just acts on a stage. They’re ephemeral experiences that turn human bodies into works of art. They’re invitations to feel, reflect, and respond, in real time—a living dialogue between artists, and you.
