Calendar preview: Arts and About 

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In bizzarro 2020 fashion, the fall arts season has sprung. Under a surreal sky of filtered sunlight due to high-altitude smoke from the fires raging in the west, Black Lives Matter protests continue a third week of daily fights for justice, and the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival is in full swing. That’s a lot happening in Rochester, and CITY News has daily coverage of it as it unfolds.

With mental health concerns urgently at the forefront, the Reel Mind Film Festival extends its commemoration of Suicide Prevention Week with a virtual screening of "The S Word," continuing through September 22. At 7 p.m. on the 22nd, viewers can join a special talk-back featuring three experts with experience in recovery, advocacy, and prevention, offering insight specific to the mental health needs of people in marginalized communities who have experienced oft-misunderstood traumas in their lives. The screening and talk-back are both free and open to the public.

With arts and social justice inextricably linked, an artist’s success is a win for society. To facilitate, The University of Rochester is offering an opportunity for artists to sharpen skills peripheral, but necessary, to their primary practice. UR’s Arts in the Loop Initiative presents a series of virtual professional development workshops called ROC The Business of Art, from September 20 through October 25, covering such topics as “Sharing Your Work in a Post-COVID World,” “Legal and Business Considerations,” and “Authentic Community Engagement,” among others. Even if confounded by building a website or writing grants, artists can find a workshop to guide the process. All events are free, but registration is required.

To offset any virtual-viewing fatigue, there are still plenty of places to enjoy some physically-distanced, in-person art — and perhaps a pleasant day trip. Starting at 9 a.m. on September 19, visitors can stroll the streets of a little gem of Western New York during the 6th Annual Pieces of Perry: En Plein Air. Here’s a chance to breathe in fresh air and get a welcome shift in perspective, as you meditate on landscapes captured in the moment by artists.

In Canandaigua, "The Colors of Light & Autumn" opens at the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery on Saturday. In addition to original works in oils, pastels, and photography, gallery artists will also exhibit ceramics and jewelry, each inspired by the spectacular seasonal shifts unique to the Finger Lakes region. An afternoon viewing with light refreshments opens the exhibit on Saturday at 2 p.m. As always, masks are required of all visitors. The exhibit runs through November 7.

Further east into the Finger Lakes, The Artworks Gallery in Seneca Falls opens its playful exhibit, "In the Style Of." Seneca County Arts Council members have submitted pieces in the style of famous artists, which viewers are then challenged to identify. Votes will be tallied for the best representation, and a prize will be awarded at the conclusion of the exhibit, which runs through October 23. Face masks are required.

Of course, experiencing the Finger Lakes in 2020 is not quite the same without the Naples Grape Festival, but chances are favorable that you might come across some grape pies for sale at the roadside somewhere. Best be refreshed for continuing the good fight here in Rochester.

Keep up to date with full listings of local online e from vents on the CITY Events Calendar. Do you have an event you wish to include? You can submit online, or email event information to [email protected].