MONMOUTH, Ore. — The 2026-2027 Smith Fine Arts Series kicks off this month at Western Oregon University’s Rice Auditorium.
This season opens with Gaby Moreno, the Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter whose soulful sound has graced stages alongside Tracy Chapman and Mavis Staples. Next, Canada’s most celebrated bluegrass act The Slocan Ramblers will blow the roof off Rice Auditorium with roots music full of heart and guts in December.
Kicking off 2027, Portland’s own BodyVox brings jaw-dropping athleticism, wit, and movement to the stage in January; The New York Times calls it “breezy freshness all its own.” In March, brace yourself for something completely new: Treasure Island Reimagined: Jane Hawkins and the Pirate’s Gold, a live-action graphic novel with pirates, 1,200 hand-drawn comic panels, and edge-of-your-seat adventure for all ages. April brings the incomparable Moira Smiley, legendary voice of Irish-American supergroup Solas, joined by combined university and community college choirs for a once-in-a-season musical moment. The season closes in May with Astral Mixtape, a classical indie band blending pop, jazz, and contemporary music into something gloriously unclassifiable.
There are also two intimate jazz shows featuring indigenous artists Quinn Carson this October and Kalí Rodríguez-Peña & Mélange, in March of 2027, and a lecture from education trailblazer Lily Eskelsen García, as part of WOU’s Jensen Lecture Series this October .
The two jazz shows take place in the Black Box Theater in the Winters building. All other performances are at 7:30 p.m. in Rice Auditorium at Western Oregon University. Come as you are. Bring the family. Get your tickets now.
Series subscriptions and individual performance tickets are available now for purchase. Guarantee your seats and get your tickets today!
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About Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University, established in Monmouth in 1856, proudly stands as Oregon’s oldest public university. Hosting around 4,000 students, Western embodies a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution, with approximately 80% of its students hailing from within the state. Notably, its diverse student body comprises individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, veterans, and non-traditional learners. Western stands as the preferred campus in Oregon for those pursuing an enriching education within a nurturing, student-focused environment, characterized by faculty-led instruction. Where YOU belong.