Vanguard Culture

Moroccan Night with the Alliance Française de San Diego
2025-03-14 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Immerse yourself in the vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of Morocco as Alliance Française de San Diego presents a special evening in honor of the Month of the Francophonie. On March 14, 2025, guests will have the opportunity to meet Moroccan vendors, experience Henna art, enjoy an authentic Moroccan dinner, and watch a captivating film—all in one unforgettable night at the San Diego French American School Auditorium in La Jolla.
San Diego French American School Auditorium
6550 Soledad Mountain Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
Friday, March 14, 2025
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Transmigration
2025-03-15 - 2025-03-16
Experience a Transformative Evening of Contemporary Music. The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus is excited to present Transmigration on March 15 and 16. This moving program brings the work of four incredible composers to the stage, and travels through turning points in American history.
Program Highlights:
Anna Thorvaldsdottir – METACOSMOS
George Walker – Lyric for Strings
Margaret Bonds – The Montgomery Variations
John Adams – On the Transmigration of Souls
LJS&C will be joined by the San Diego Children’s Choir and led by guest conductor Michael Gerdes. We hope you’ll join us for a weekend of incredible performances!
Transmigration
Conducted by Michael Gerdes
Saturday, March 15 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 16 at 2:00 pm
UC San Diego Mandeville Auditorium

Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction
2025-03-15 - 2026-03-14
It’s time for Whovians to dust off their sonic screwdrivers because San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum, located inside historic Balboa Park, has announced that tickets for the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction exhibit are on sale now. Tickets allow guests to explore the entire museum—and for Doctor Who fans of all generations to be the first to see this exhibit in the U.S., which opens March 15, 2025—and can be purchased at comic-con.org/museum.
The exhibit features an extensive array of original props and sets, and a unique collection of behind-the-scenes resource materials from the world’s longest-running science fiction show. This multi-sensory exhibit invites visitors to experience the Doctor’s adventures, come face to face with a selection of iconic characters, and explore some of the worlds visited on screen, all while learning about the real-life science behind the show’s memorable moments. A wealth of scientific “wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey” topics like the concept of time travel, artificial intelligence, DNA manipulation, and cloning can be explored throughout the exhibit.
Highlights of the exhibit include:

A Time Vortex Corridor and TARDIS Tech Room where visitors can examine the technological capabilities of the Doctor’s gadgets and gizmos, including a collection of authentic sonic screwdrivers

The Monster Vault that houses the Doctor’s most terrifying alien adversaries, including the Cybermen and the Weeping Angels (Plus a simulator that allows visitors to change their voice to sound like a Dalek!)

Exclusive Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder merchandise, exclusive to Comic-Con Museum

Comic-Con Museum
2131 Pan American Plaza
San Diego, CA, 92101

ÉCLATS D'ÂME
2025-03-15 19:00 - 21:00
ÉCLATS D’ÂME – VIRTUOSO PIANIST ROSSINA GRIECO RETURNS FOR SOLO CONCERT
Éclats d’Âme—“Fragments of the Soul”—captures the essence of human emotion through the timeless works of Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt. Beethoven’s Appassionataunleashes turbulent passion and drama, while Chopin’s First Ballade offers delicate introspection and lyrical beauty. Liszt’s B Minor Sonata blends virtuosic brilliance with profound depth, expressing a sweeping narrative of struggle and transcendence. Together, these masterpieces reveal the spectrum of the soul’s journey, from anguished conflict to fleeting moments of grace. In this program, each note becomes a voice, each phrase a whisper of the heart’s most intimate desires and longings, broken yet beautifully whole.
Program:
BEETHOVEN
Piano Sonata No. 23, “Appassionata”
CHOPIN
Ballade No. 1
LISZT
Piano Sonata in B Minor
Sat, Mar 15 • 7:00 PM
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
7600 Fay Avenue
San Diego, CA 92037

San Diego Latino Film Festival
2025-03-19 - 2025-03-23
Celebrate Latino cinema at the 32nd annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, March 19-23, 2025! Presented by Media Arts Center San Diego, this renowned festival has showcased over 4,000 films, bringing Latin American and U.S. Latino stories to life for over three decades. Join thousands of film lovers for an unforgettable experience of culture, storytelling, and community.

6th Annual Blue Water Film Festival
2025-03-20 - 2025-03-23
Join the 6th Annual Blue Water Film Festival from March 20-23, 2025, celebrating environmental storytelling and the next generation of filmmakers. Through film premieres, educational panels, and high-level networking, BWFF inspires audiences to think critically about climate change and global sustainability.
San Diego, CA

San Diego, I Love You: City Heights
2025-03-22 - 2025-03-30
This walking, site-specific adventure play invites audiences out of the theatre and into the community while an intimate love story unfolds in real life locations. Attendees are encouraged to purchase libations at the two main locations, Key & Cleaver and The Tower Bar. You must be 21 or older.
Members of Circle Circle dot dot theatre company are getting the band back together for this reunion show to bring attention to City Heights’ local small businesses in the wake of damaging road closures from the delayed construction project on University.

Key and Cleaver
4727 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105
March 22-30, 2025

2025 Medium Festival of Photography
2025-03-22 09:30 - 16:00
Welcome to the 2025 Medium Festival of Photography! Join us for a weekend of artist talks, exhibitions, creativity, inspiration, and photography by community members. This in-person event will be held at Bread & Salt, where you can immerse yourself in a community of creative photography. Meet talented photographers, attend workshops, and explore stunning exhibits. Whether you’re a photography enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out, this festival is perfect for everyone. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to celebrate the power of photography!
Saturday, March 22 · 9:30am – 4pm
Bread & Salt
1955 Julian Avenue
San Diego, CA 92113

An Artist @ the Table: From the Top
2025-03-22 18:00 - 21:00
Savor a night of artistic and culinary brilliance.
Join Vanguard Culture’s signature An Artist @ the Table series as we celebrate From the Top, America’s leading platform for young classically trained musicians. Indulge in exquisite wines from Baja Wine + Food, a delectable menu, and a pop-up art show inspired by a young virtuoso musician that will leave you amazed!
About NPR’s From the Top: Since its launch in 2000, this program has become public radio’s most popular one-hour classical music show, featuring pre-collegiate musicians. Hosted by pianist Peter Dugan since 2020, it showcases extraordinary talent through performances and interviews. Learn more HERE.
About An Artist @ the Table: This beloved dinner series connects the public with arts leaders across disciplines—photography, music, fashion, and more—while supporting San Diego’s creative industries. Each event features a notable creative paired with a rockstar chef, who designs a menu inspired by the artist’s work. Proceeds benefit Vanguard Culture, a 501(c)3 nonprofit advancing San Diego’s creative workforce through award-winning arts coverage, professional development, and cross-industry events.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
6pm-9pm
Private residence in Point Loma, CA

Amazing Incredible Tales
2025-03-22 19:30 - 21:30
Improv at the Brooks presents Amazing Incredible Tales, a fully improvised, HIGHLY interactive live superhero comic book made up on the spot based on audience suggestions from start to finish. PG-13

March 22, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Oceanside Theatre Company At The Brooks
217 North Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA

One River, Many Stories: The San Diego River Artists' Alliance
2025-03-24 - 2025-04-24
The Hyde Gallery is excited to announce its second exhibition of the Spring 2025 semester, One River, Many Stories, presented in collaboration with the San Diego River Artists’ Alliance (SDRAA). This compelling exhibition explores the diverse ecosystems and evolving narratives of the San Diego River through the work of twelve regional artists who have immersed themselves in the landscapes and stories surrounding this vital waterway. The San Diego River, stretching from the mountains near Julian to the Pacific Ocean, has long been a source of inspiration, sustenance, and transformation. The artists of SDRAA are dedicated to capturing the essence of the river’s journey, reflecting its beauty and significance in their artwork.
A portion of artwork sale proceeds will go toward the San Diego River Park Foundation (SDRPF), an organization dedicated to the restoration, conservation, and enhancement of the San Diego River. Funds raised will contribute to SDRPF’s long-term vision of developing a 52-mile park system along the river’s length, ensuring public access and ecological preservation for generations to come.
March 24 – April 24, 2025
Opening reception: Tuesday, March 25th, 4-6pm
Artist walkthrough: Thursday, April 10th, 2-4pm
Hyde Art Gallery, Building 22
Performing and Visual Arts Center
Grossmont College Drive
El Cajon, CA 92020

EMPOWER: female voices
2025-03-27 - 2025-03-30
Kicking off our 2025 Season: AXIOM, is our all female choreographic program featuring new works from Resident artists Bethany Green and Carly Topazio, accompanied by Guest Choreographer, Natasha Adorlee. TRBP thrives on expanding the definition of what dance is—who it’s made for and by—while presenting world-class dancers and choreography in an unfiltered and authentic space. Empower spotlights female choreographers that are evolving the art form with their own unique artistic voices.

March 27 / 28 / 29 / 30
Liberty Station
2590 Truxtun Rd #205
San Diego, CA 92106

Big Deal on Madonna Street
2025-03-27 19:00 - 21:00
An all-star cast and jazzy score highlight this charming comedy, a deft satire of classic caper films. Big Deal on Madonna Street hilariously details the plight of a sad-sack group of bumbling thieves—a veteran crook, a cocky young gun, and a sweet safecracker—and their desperate attempts to pull off the perfect heist. In Italian with English subtitles.
Digital Gym CINEMA
1100 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101
March 27, 2025, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos
2025-03-27 19:30 - 21:30
The spring series opens on Thursday, March 27, at Scripps Research with a long-anticipated local debut as a leader of acclaimed Cuban composer-pianist-bandleader Omar Sosa and his Quarteto Americanos, featuring Josh Jones on drums, Ernesto Mazar Kindelán on bass, and Sheldon Brown on sax, clarinet, and flute. Sosa is widely celebrated as one of the most versatile jazz artists on the scene today. His musical trajectory traces the African diaspora from Cuba to Brazil; from Central America to Ecuador’s African-descent communities; from San Francisco and New York to his current home base in Barcelona. True to his Afro-Cuban origins, Sosa fashions a spirited vision of uncompromising artistic generosity that embraces humanity at large. Nominated for seven Grammy awards and twice for the BBC World Music Awards, Sosa received a lifetime achievement award from the Smithsonian Associates in Washington, D.C., for his contribution to the development of Latin jazz in the United States.
Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos
Thursday, March 27, 2025
7:30 PM
Scripps Research Auditorium
10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive
San Diego, CA, 92121

Art Noir
2025-04-03 - 2025-04-26
Step into a world of suspense, mystery, and psychological tension with Art Noir, an exhibition where pop culture and fine art collide. Join us on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 6–9 PM for the public reception with local artists, including artists working out of The Studio Door’s 17 artist spaces. Enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and community in the heart of Hillcrest, surrounded by inspiring works that celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives.
April 3-26, 2025
The Studio Door
3867 Fourth Avenue
San Diego, CA, 92103

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
2025-04-03 19:30 - 21:30
Whether they appear at the Queen’s private birthday party in Windsor Castle, at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, in Carnegie Hall, or at the Sydney Opera House—it is the declared mission of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain to fight the serious side of life with all their might. They pull it off with charm, British wit, surprising arrangements and pure delight in playing and entertaining people. Take a fast-paced sprint through all musical genres: from ABBA to ZZ Top, from Tchaikovsky to Nirvana, from bluegrass to Lady Gaga.
Thursday, April 3, 2025 • 7:30 PM

Fashioning an Icon: Virgin of Guadalupe Imagery in Textile Design
2025-04-05 - 2025-09-07
Inspired by her long history of depiction on textiles, these works explore the Virgin of Guadalupe’s endurance as an iconic cultural symbol fashioned through creative expression.

Fashioning an Icon: Virgin of Guadalupe Imagery in Textile Design celebrates her representation on clothing and adornment. Objects range from traditional garments created by over 70 artists from Mexico, to a selection of local artistic interpretations of la Virgen. Inspired by her long history of depiction on textiles, these works explore the Virgin of Guadalupe’s endurance as an iconic cultural symbol fashioned through creative expression.
April 5 – September 7, 2025

The Art of Autism: A Different Lens
2025-04-05 - 2025-08-03
This community partnership between Oceanside Museum of Art and The Art of Autism celebrates and champions neurodivergent artists while raising awareness about how people think, learn, perceive, and contribute their unique perspectives to the world we share. The exhibition and associated community programs will provide a robust platform for neurodivergent artists to share their self-expression and expose neurotypical audiences across Southern California to accomplishments by the visual artists featured while building understanding and support for the broader autism community. These programs will help audiences better understand our differences and unique perspectives, demonstrating how the arts physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally bridge communities.
The exhibition will showcase more than a dozen neurodiverse artists selected by The Art of Autism to share their best recent work with audiences across Southern California. The Art of Autism is a San Diego County-based nonprofit of talented individuals who have come together to display the creative abilities of people on the autism spectrum and others who are neurodivergent. The Art of Autism provides a forum to connect with those who wish to employ these abilities.
EXHIBITION CELEBRATION
Saturday, May 3, 2025
5:00-7:00pm
On view April 5 – August 3, 2025

Sona Jobarteh
2025-04-05 19:30 - 21:30
Sona Jobarteh is a unique and pioneering musical icon of her time whose renown has been rapidly flourishing globally. Born into a Griot family from the Gambia, a tradition that dates back seven centuries, she is the first female within this tradition to become a professional virtuoso on the Kora. Her music is uniquely poised between the preservation of her rich cultural heritage and an accessible, modern style that relates to the current era and to audiences from all over the world.
Saturday, April 5, 2025 • 7:30 PM

GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES
2025-04-06 - 2025-04-26
It’s not your typical love story when Doug and Kayleen meet at the nurse’s office in their elementary school; she’s got a painful stomach ache, and he’s all banged up from riding his bike off the roof. Over the next thirty years, they find each other again and again, brought together by injury, heartbreak, and their own self-destructive tendencies.
April 6 – 26, 2025
Tenth Avenue Arts Center
930 Tenth Ave, San Diego

Le Salon de Musiques – Virtuosic Strings & Piano
2025-04-06 16:00 - 19:30
Le Salon de Musiques – Virtuosic Strings & PianoCelebrate spring with an uplifting performance featuring romantic masterpieces by Chopin, Glinka, and Onslow—including a U.S. premiere. Introduced by musicologist Dr. Kristi Brown-Montesano, this intimate concert at the La Jolla Woman’s Club includes a post-performance Q&A and a high tea buffet with French Champagne.
Sunday, April 6 at 4:00 PMLa Jolla Woman’s Club

San Diego Underground Film Festival
2025-04-11 - 2025-04-13
San Diego Underground Film Festival is a showcase for experimental films, video, and live shows. For our tenth edition, we have an exciting program that includes underground narratives, experimental films, live music, and projector performances by artists who are both local and international.
Media Arts Center Theater in the UCSD Park & Market
1100 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101
The Brown Building Arts
4133 Poplar St, San Diego, CA 92105
April 11-13, 2025

Dreams Dyed Blue: Journey Through Sound & Color
2025-04-17 19:00 - 21:00
“There is sweetness in the laughter of all the stars….and in the memories of those we love.”
“Dreams Dyed Blue” is a spatialized electroacoustic/hip-hop audiovisual performance that explores the beauty, sadness, joy and loss of reaching toward a dream. This collaborative experience features visual contributions from Ben Guerrette, Mingyong Cheng, and LUX|LUMN, as well as musical contributions from Anita Chandavarkar, Natalia Merlano Gomez, David Aguila and Timothy “Ill Poetic” Gmeiner.
Conrad Prebys Music Center’s Experimental Theater
9410 Russell Lane
San Diego, CA 92093
April 17, 2025
7:00 p.m.

CRWDSPCR
2025-04-18 - 2025-06-01
Experience CRWDSPCR, a groundbreaking dance film that captures the late-2000s revival performance of Merce Cunningham’s innovative 1993 choreography. Created using the choreographic software LifeForms, CRWDSPCR exemplifies Cunningham’s embrace of technology in dance composition, blending digital aesthetics with human movement. Directed by Charles Atlas, this 29-minute film offers a mesmerizing interplay of dance, digital abstraction, and structured spontaneity. The film will be shown on loop every half hour during open hours.
April 18 – June 1, 2025
California Center for the Arts Museum
340 N. Escondido Blvd.
Escondido, CA 92025

7 Last Words with So Say We All
2025-04-18 20:00 - 22:00
In collaboration with So Say We All, the Hausmann Quartet presents Seven Last Words, a performance of Joseph Haydn’s epic masterpiece alongside spoken word presentations of original works by the authors themselves. The texts will be inspired by the same scripture upon which Haydn based each of the movements of his monumental work, The Seven Last Words of Christ. Originally commissioned for a Good Friday service in 1783, it was adapted for string quartet by the composer and has since become a treasured Easter-time tradition around the world.

Fri, Apr 18th, 2025, 8:00 – 9:00 PM PDT

Verbatim Books, San Diego, CA

An Evening with Isaac Mizrahi
2025-04-22 19:00 - 22:00
Actor, host, writer, designer and producer Isaac Mizrahi brings his one-of-a-kind show to the David & Dorothea Garfield stage, combining comedy, commentary and an array of classic and soon-to-be classic songs from Stephen Sondheim to Blondie, from Comden & Green to Madonna.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

2025 WOW Festival
2025-04-24 - 2025-04-27
The 2025 WOW Festival will feature four action-packed days of theatre, dance, music, puppetry, spectacle events and more, with multiple performances by renowned local, national and international artists occurring throughout the weekend. A complete roster of artists and projects will be announced in the coming months. Presented in Partnership with UC San Diego.

April 24 – 27, 2025
WOW Festival 2025 will take place at venues around UC San Diego

Art Alive
2025-04-24 - 2025-04-27
Celebrate the return of Art Alive with an astonishing array of colorful floral interpretations and four days of fun-filled events, including the Premiere Dinner and the 10th edition of the iconic Bloom Bash event. Art Alive is The San Diego Museum of Art’s signature annual fundraiser, providing essential support for the Museum’s exhibitions, education, outreach, and public programs. Join us this spring as we construct another astounding year of flowers and art! The 2025 event celebrates art and architecture inspired by the groundbreaking architectural designs of Lord Norman Foster and his internationally renowned studio Foster + Partners.
April 24–27, 2025
The San Diego Museum of Art
1450 El Prado
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

Art Scene West
2025-04-25 - 2025-04-26
We are excited to announce the inaugural Art Scene West Film Festival, a showcase of independent short films (under 25 minutes) from around the country. We are partnering with local San Diego businesses that focus on art and creativity to make this event possible. Some of those partners include ArtReach, Rock & Roll San Diego, and Vanguard Culture. Part of the proceeds will be donated to ArtReach to contribute to their mission of providing art education to San Diego County with the guiding principles of cultivating artistic community and equitable access to art for all.
Taking place on April 25th and 26th, this festival promises to be a unique outdoor cinematic experience, blending art, culture, and community in the heart of San Diego at the beautiful Seaport Village. Screening starts at 7:30pm, with music and activities preceding it from 6:00pm – 7:00pm.
The Seaport Village is known for its charming cobblestone walkways, vibrant shops, and incredible dining options. The festival will take place in the Lighthouse District and festival goers will experience picturesque views of the harbor and city skyline. The clear skies, open-air and warm San Diego weather is perfect for this outdoor event.
Whether you’re a local resident or visiting from out of town, this Film Festival offers a unique opportunity to experience the best of San Diego’s waterfront while celebrating art, music, community, culture, and independent films.
803 West Harbor Drive San Diego, CA 92101

SD Asian Film Festival Spring Showcase
2025-04-25 - 2025-05-01
A weeklong celebration of bold, independent storytelling from Asia and the Asian diaspora, the San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) Spring Showcase is one of Pacific Arts Movement’s (Pac Arts) signature year-round programs. While SDAFF in the fall highlights cutting-edge and emerging voices, Spring Showcase brings a mix of festival favorites, cinematic classics, and some of the most celebrated and popular films from Asia, offering audiences a chance to experience the hits and breakthrough documentaries that captivate international audiences.
