Arts in Charlottesville: Come From Away at Live Arts to Nov. 15, Shanghai Ballet's Giselle Nov. 10, symphony Bach concerts Nov. 7-8 and a Nutcracker Dec. 8.

Last checked Oct. 31, 2026. Covers today to mid-December and is refreshed each month. Every listing links to the venue or organizer; times are as they publish them, and prices are listed only where the organizer posts them. For everything else this month, see things to do this month.

Charlottesville’s arts calendar runs from a musical about kindness to a run of Christmas shows. Live Arts’ Come From Away plays through Nov. 15, the Charlottesville Symphony brings Bach to Old Cabell Hall and the MLK Performing Arts Center on Nov. 7 and 8, Shanghai Ballet dances Giselle at the Paramount on Nov. 10, and December opens with Béla Fleck, a Nutcracker and Live Arts’ A Christmas Carol.

Box offices

  • The Paramount Theater: 215 E. Main St., 434-979-1333, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays
  • Live Arts: 123 E. Water St., 434-977-4177
  • UVA Arts Box Office (symphony and university events): 434-924-3376
  • Parking downtown: see our getting around guide

Exhibitions now showing

  • en route, Jolinna Li and Reese E. Robers, through Friday, Nov. 20, in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Exhibition page.
  • Strange Kin, Emma Terry, through Friday, Nov. 20, in Second Street Gallery’s Dové Gallery. Exhibition page.
  • McGuffey Art Center has five shows up: Jing Shui’s All is Form, Margaret Embree’s Mercurial and Not, Charles Peale’s Pieced Together, the group show Wax, Paper, Scissors and the associate members’ show. The center lists no closing dates. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and is closed Mondays and on Sunday, Nov. 29. McGuffey’s exhibitions.
  • Art in the Patches, Nov. 6 to Dec. 7, Carr’s Hill Field at UVA. Free. Students in a UVA ceramics course and the university’s Forest Patches project place clay sculptures in the woodland patches. Opening reception 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. UVA Arts listing.

Theater and dance

  • Come From Away, Live Arts, 123 E. Water St., through Sunday, Nov. 15. The musical set in Gander, Newfoundland, in the days after Sept. 11, 2001. Performance times and tickets are on the Live Arts show page.
  • Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?, Eric Bentley’s play, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, and Thursday, Nov. 5, Ruth Caplin Theatre at UVA. UVA Arts listing.
  • Shanghai Ballet: Giselle, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Paramount Theater. The company’s first North American tour in more than five years. Paramount listing.
  • Rock with DCO, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, the Paramount. The Virginia Dance Company’s 51 UVA student dancers in contemporary, jazz and hip-hop, inspired by Michael Jackson. Paramount listing.
  • Dog Man: The Musical, 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, the Paramount. The family show based on Dav Pilkey’s books. Paramount listing.
  • Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, the Paramount. A touring production from Talmi Entertainment. Paramount listing. More in our Nutcracker and holiday shows page.
  • A Christmas Carol, Live Arts, Thursday, Dec. 10, to Sunday, Dec. 20, the theater’s holiday staging with large puppets. Live Arts show page.

Concerts and classical

  • Faculty Artist Series: David Sariti and Elizabeth Field, 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, Old Cabell Hall. Two violinists trace the violin and its bows from the 17th century to now. UVA Arts listing.
  • Charlottesville Symphony: Bach Violin Concerto, conducted by Benjamin Rous, who also plays violin. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, Old Cabell Hall, and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, the MLK Performing Arts Center, 1400 Melbourne Road. Symphony concert page.
  • Met Live in HD: Carmen, 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, the Paramount, broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera. Paramount listing.
  • Béla Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, the Paramount. Paramount listing.
  • Winter Nights with Matteo Bocelli, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, the Paramount. Paramount listing.
  • Christmas with Elvis, 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, the Paramount, with tribute artist Matt Lewis and Charlottesville’s Big Ray and the Kool Kats. Paramount listing.
  • Charlottesville Symphony Family Holiday Concerts with the UVA University Singers, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, Old Cabell Hall. Symphony concert page.
  • Met Live in HD: Samson et Dalila, noon Saturday, Dec. 5, the Paramount. Paramount listing.
  • A Crooner’s Christmas, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, the Paramount. Swing band Good Shot Judy with a 20-piece orchestra and The Satin Dollz. Paramount listing.

Classes and workshops

  • Navigating Opportunities: Open Calls and Approaching Galleries, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Second Street Gallery. A session for artists on applying to shows and galleries. UVA Arts listing.

Regular events

  • First Fridays: Second Street Gallery holds a First Friday Community Night from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. UVA Arts listing.
  • Paramount Theater tours: 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, and Wednesday, Nov. 11; register on the Paramount’s tour page.

Send us your event

Running an exhibition, show or concert in Charlottesville? Send it to us with the date, time, venue, price and a link to your own page, ideally two weeks ahead. A photo you own the rights to helps.

Frequently asked questions

What arts events are on in Charlottesville in November 2026?

Live Arts stages Come From Away through Nov. 15, the Charlottesville Symphony plays its Bach Violin Concerto program Nov. 7 and 8, Shanghai Ballet dances Giselle at the Paramount on Nov. 10, and two Second Street Gallery shows run to Nov. 20.

Where can I see a Nutcracker in Charlottesville this year?

The touring Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet plays the Paramount Theater at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8. Our Nutcracker and holiday shows page tracks the other December performances.

When are Charlottesville’s downtown galleries open?

Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE, is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The McGuffey Art Center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and is closed the last Sunday of each month.

When is First Friday in Charlottesville in November?

Friday, Nov. 6. Second Street Gallery holds a First Friday Community Night from 5 to 7 p.m., and UVA’s Art in the Patches opens with a 5:30 p.m. reception at Carr’s Hill Field the same evening.