2026-27 Season
We are excited to share our 49th season of world-class performing arts with you!
This season promises to be among the best yet, with fantastic performances featuring bluegrass, Latin pop, modern classical – and a completely new kind of performance with a live graphic novel.
We are also thrilled to partner with PRAx at OSU to offer two small-venue jazz shows featuring indigenous artists.
This season has something for everyone! Come as you are and experience the transformative power of music and dance with the Smith Fine Arts Series!
Upcoming Events
All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Leonard W. Rice Auditorium (corner of Knox St N and Powell St E) on Western Oregon University’s Monmouth campus.
Sep
24
Gaby Moreno
Grammy and Latin Grammy–winning artist Gaby Moreno is a singer-songwriter and producer whose warm, soulful sound bridges English and Spanish. Since moving to Los Angeles from her native Guatemala, she has released nine albums and earned major honors, including a Grammy win for X Mí (Vol. 1) (Best Latin Pop Album, 2024. A defining voice in modern Americana, Moreno has shared the stage with artists such as Tracy Chapman, Ani DiFranco, Mavis Staples, Buena Vista Social Club, and Chris Thile.
Dec
5
The Slocan Ramblers
The Slocan Ramblers are Canada’s most celebrated bluegrass act. Rooted in tradition yet fearlessly creative, The Ramblers emerged from humble beginnings playing in Toronto’s rowdy bars to gracing the most storied stages of the genre – The Grand Ole Opry, MerleFest, Rockygrass and beyond. This is roots music without pretension, full of heart and guts, designed to remind you why you loved bluegrass in the first place. Say hello to your new favorite band.
Jan
16
BodyVox
Based in Portland, BodyVox’s movement surges from a fascination with the endless possibilities of the human body in motion. BodyVox builds upon a tradition of excellence with a unique voice that is equally influenced by its Northwest roots and world view. The New York Times says “BodyVox dances with a breezy freshness all its own.” Led by Emmy Award-winning choreographers Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland, BodyVox is known for its visual virtuosity, distinctive wit and unique ability to combine dance, theater and film into breathtaking productions rich in imagery, athleticism and humor. BodyVox is a model for how the arts create community through rigor and joy.
Mar
13
Treasure Island Reimagined: Jane Hawkins and the Pirate’s Gold
A Live-Action Graphic Novel
DANGER! PIRATES ABIDE HERE! “High-seas skullduggery…bringing [Treasure Island] to vibrant, raucous and illustrated life.” – The Austin Chronicle
The year is 1754. The place, the western shores of England. Jane Hawkins, twelve years old, works at a sleepy seaside inn. When a sinister vagabond arrives with a mysterious trunk, Jane’s humdrum life swerves towards adventure…
In this adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, three performers provide all the character voices and sound effects – live and in front of your eyes – as more than 1,200 hand-drawn comic book panels blast one by one on a huge screen to tell an on-the-edge-of-your-seat tale of danger and adventure for the kid in everyone.
Apr
23
Moira Smiley
Singer/composer Moira Smiley brings vivid, embodied singing to stages tiny and grand, atop glaciers or in cozy kitchens from Trondheim to Tasmania. She has toured the world and recorded with many indie-pop favorites, including Tuneyards, Laurie Anderson, Shara Nova, and more. Long time Smith Fine Arts fans may recognize her as the singer for the legendary Irish-American supergroup, Solas. In addtion to performing solo works at this concert, Moira will be welcoming the combined choirs of Western Oregon University, Chemeketa Community College, and Linn-Benton Community College ot the stage.
May
21
Astral Mixtape
Astral Mixtape is a classical indie band that creates groundbreaking original music with classical instruments and electronics. Drawing from the exuberance of pop, the improvisational spirit of jazz, and the adventurous edge of contemporary music, they craft a sound unmistakably their own. They are winners of the 2023 Astral Artists Competition, the 2024 Beverly Hills National Auditions, and Time For Three’s 2025 Honeywell Arts Fellowship. In April 2025, they released an album of seven original works called Biolumy.
Jensen Lecture Series
Oct
22
Lily Eskelsen Garcia
Lily Eskelsen García is a teacher whose work in education spans from her beginning as a school lunch lady to being elected as the first Latina president of the largest union in the United States, the 3-million-member National Education Association. Her career includes service as her state’s Teacher of the Year, as president of the Utah State Retirement system, as her party’s nominee for U.S. Congress, Vice President of Brussels-based Education International, and as Commissioner for President Barack Obama’s White House Commission for Education Excellence for Hispanics. She is the founder of an endowed scholarship program at the University of Utah for bilingual aspiring teachers, Maestros Para Los Niños.
Indigenous Jazz Mini Series
Oct
24
Quinn Carson
“A sonic mesh of 1920’s big band, New Orleans brass bands, and the sweetness of ’90s R&B riffs, Quinn Carson’s compleixity is moderated by the easy nature of his melodies” – Susie An
Quinn Carson is an accomplised trombonist, vocalist, and sog writer. Born in Arkansas and a member of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Carson is reshaping Native American music with the vibrant and experimental sound of his trombone. His work merges Apache songs with modern music to highlight the depth and beauty of indigenous melodies.
Mar
30-2027
Kalí Rodríguez-Peña’s Mélange
“. . . if Wynton Marsalis says you’re good at the trumpet, then that’s a big deal.”
— The New York Times
Latin Grammy-nominated Cuban trumpeter and composer Kalí Rodríguez-Peña is one of the leading voices of a young generation of Cuban musicians living in New York City. His sound fuses the traditional motifs of his native Cuba with a passion for jazz classicism influenced by Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard.
Good Times, Great Seats, Unforgettable Performances
We bring high-quality, world-class performers and performances to Monmouth at an affordable price. Performances are held in the intimate and cozy Rice Auditorium of Western Oregon University. At only 600 seats, there isn’t a bad one in the house. Reserve your tickets online or by phone today!
Everyone is Welcome
The Smith Fine Arts Series is far from the stuffy world of ball gowns and tuxedos. Come as you are! The only requirement is the intention to have a good time as you enjoy our breathtaking performances. With convenient free parking and great dining options nearby, a Smith Fine Arts Series show is always a good time! Tickets are only a click or a call away!
Thank You to our Sponsors!
Your Gift Matters!
When you support the Smith Fine Arts Series (SFAS), you not only help maintain and grow a thriving artistic scene on campus and in the community, but you support countless students and community members. The Smith Fine Arts Series believes that live arts are essential and have the power to enrich and improve people’s lives, which is why we are committed to low-cost tickets for community members and free tickets for WOU students. With your help, we can keep SFAS programming alive and within reach for everyone. Make your gift today!
