King Arts Complex

41st Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - Birthday Breakfast: The Journey Ahead: Advancing Liberty and Justice for All
2026-01-19 07:30 - 10:00 (America/Kentucky/Louisville) | Columbus Convention Center, 400 North high Street, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
The City of Columbus takes great pride in its observance of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Martin Luther King Breakfast Committee, Inc. invites the public to the Columbus signature King Holiday event attended by thousands of diverse multicultural individuals. This is the largest event of its kind in the United States honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Join us at the flagship event on MLK Jr. Day, the national holiday commemorating Dr. King the fallen civil rights leader who transformed the world.

The Breakfast keynote speaker leads us in tribute to, and remembrance of the fallen, global civil rights leader, Dr. King; who inspired nonviolent liberation movements around the world.  The Breakfast continues to showcase community oratory tributes from student speakers of the Columbus City Schools and the King scholar, a prestigious designee from Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College.

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2026 Keynote Speaker

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III

A third-generation warrior for civil and human rights, Dr. Moss is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois, where he has built a ministry centered on community advancement, social justice, and the inseparable companions of love and justice. He is also a nationally acclaimed author, educator, filmmaker, and prophetic voice for our times. His powerful messages—deeply rooted in the works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Howard Thurman, and the Black spiritual tradition—have inspired audiences across generations and around the world.
CLICK HERE For more Information

MLK Day Open House
2026-01-19 12:00 - 16:00 | Ohio History Center, 800 E 17th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43211, United States
Join us as we explore the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy. This annual community event is an excellent opportunity for children, families, and friends to enjoy musical and live theatrical performances. It is also a unique opportunity for visitors of all ages to learn about the civil rights movement, participate in art activities, view the art exhibition, and meet new friends. We encourage you to attend the MLK Breakfast and the MLK Day evening program hosted by the City of Columbus.
We invite you to experience entertainment and education during the next MLK Open House on Monday, January 19, 2026!

The Anonymous Lover
2026-01-23 08:00 - 17:00 | Palace Theatre, 34 West Broad Street, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
The Anonymous Lover (1780), known in French as L’Amant Anonyme, this charming two-act romantic comedy chamber opera by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges is adapted from a comedic play by Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis (Madame de Genlis). It centers on Léontine, a wealthy widow who begins receiving ardent letters and gifts from a secret admirer. Unbeknownst to her, the devoted suitor is actually her close friend Valcour, who conceals his identity out of fear of rejection. Through spirited misunderstandings and heartfelt revelations, Léontine learns the truth, culminating in a joyful resolution that celebrates the power of genuine devotion and trust. Will love win? Joseph Bologne’s stirring music is complemented by a fresh book adaptation from the pen of Obie Award-winning Boston playwright Kirsten Greenidge, mixing English dialogue with the original French singing. The third of Bologne’s six operas, The Anonymous Lover was his most successful opera, and the only one that has survived to this day. The work holds a significant place in the annals of music history, standing as one of the first known operas composed by a Black artist.
#AnonymousLoverOC
This production will be performed in French and English with English captions.

First Tuesday Tea
2026-02-03 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-03 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-04-07 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-02 12:00 - 14:00 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
First Tuesday Tea is a monthly forum for seniors to explore dance, music, books, news from the community, and so much more. Sessions can include presentations by guest artists, lecturers and community leaders. Each month, participants look forward to the camaraderie that comes from meeting new friends in a safe, relaxed atmosphere, and the opportunity to discover abilities and creative talents. Come sip some tea and be… This event is free and open to the public: Seniors, Ages 55+ (Men are also welcome) Please email Linda at lbroadnax@kingartscomplex.com for questions or to join the list to be notified via email.

Community Connect Series: Forever Dreaming
2026-02-07 13:00 - 14:30 | St. John AME Church, 7700 Crosswoods Drive, Columbus, OH, 43235, United States
These events give audiences a deeper understanding of the music, artists, and themes presented in each Masterworks concert, fostering dialogue and meaningful community engagement.
Moderator:
Dr. Jennifer Hambrick

Panelists:Dr. Antoine T. Clark – Executive, Artistic & Music Director, WCOJevon Collins – Interim Executive Director, King Arts ComplexLarry Seward – Outreach & Constituent Services Director,Office of Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03)Deborah Shaheed – representing the work of sculptor Omar Shaheed

Program Highlights:Presentation on Florence Price by Dr. Antoine T. Clark

String quartet works by Florence Price, performed by the WCO String Quartet
Devin Copfer, violinElla Pittsford, violinMeagan Cramm, violaJane Van Voorhis, cello

Refreshments will follow the presentations and performance.

Worthington Chamber Orchestra - Masterworks: Forever Dreaming
2026-02-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Worthington United Methodist Church, 600 High Sreet, Worthington, 43085, United States
Forever Dreaming focuses on dreams of equality and justice, particularly the influence of Martin Luther King Jr. and the American Dream. The music chosen reflects both personal and collective aspirations.

Benedicta Enrile Masterworks Series
Forever Dreaming
Sunday, February 15, 2026, 3 PM
Worthington United Methodist Church

Antoine T. Clark, conductor
Dwight Parry, oboe

Program:
Sinfonietta of Dreams – Jeffrey Scott
Dreamscape for Oboe and Orchestra – Alyssa Morris
Symphony No. 1 in E Minor – Florence B. Price

All Arts Day: A Celebration Of Aminah Robinson
2026-02-21 15:00 - 18:00 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
Each February, The King Arts Complex honors the life and legacy of one Columbus’ most celebrated artists at the Annual Aminah Robinson Family Day. This special event is an opportunity for people of all ages to create art with local visual artists, enjoy music, and learn more about Aminah’s rich contributions to the world of art.
An innovative multimedia artist, teacher, storyteller, and MacArthur Fellow, Aminah Robinson was known for her work within the African-American community of Poindexter Village on Columbus’ Near East Side. As home to one of Aminah’s earliest studios, The King Arts Complex proudly displays her work year round to inspire emerging artists, current artists, and our community.

Wil Haygood Launches THE WAR WITHIN A WAR! In conversation with WOSU's Amy Juravich!
2026-02-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Drexel Theatre, 2254 East Main Street, Bexley, OH, 43209, United States
Join acclaimed journalist Wil Haygood as he launches The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home, a timely exploration of the racial strife that dominated so much of life during the Vietnam era, and still prevalent today. Haygood will be in conversation with journalist Amy Juravich, host of NPR-member station WOSU’s All Sides with Amy Juravich.
Registration is on Eventbrite. A general admission ticket of $10 is waived if The War Within a War is pre-purchased when registering. The book will also be available for purchase at the event.
WOSU PUBLIC MEDIA, DREXEL THEATRE, and KING ARTS COMPLEX are Gramercy’s Community Partners for this event.
The Vietnam war era, in many ways, mirrored and was the beginning of the racial and political turbulence and divisiveness we are experiencing today. By tracing the lives of a group of Black men and women—soldiers, doctors, nurses, journalists—who experienced the battles in Vietnam as well as the socio-political war raging at home in America, Wil Haygood brilliantly contextualizes the racial strife that dominated so much of life in those years and still dominates it today. The most important book to deal with this subject since the bestselling Bloods.

39th Anniversary Dream Awards
2026-04-23 18:00 - 20:00 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
As part of the King Arts Complex 39th Anniversary Celebration, the Women’s Service Board will present the 30th Annual Dream Awards Reception. The King Arts Complex pays tribute to individuals and businesses within the Columbus community that have had a profound impact on the King Arts Complex and the Columbus community. The Dream Awards presentation is a celebration of service and is open to the public. Invited guests include major donors and key civic and cultural leaders. This award is the highest honor bestowed upon a supporter of the King Arts Complex’s. “The Women’s Service Board is honored to host the Dream Awards in recognition of individuals and businesses that enhance the mission of the King Arts Complex.”, explained Women’s Service Board President Linda Broadnax.

39th Anniversary Gala honoring Ohio State Senator Hearcel F. Craig
2026-05-14 18:00 - 22:00 | Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, 43215, United States
Join us for our 39th Annual King Arts Complex Gala on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Statehouse Atrium, where we will celebrate Ohio State Senator Hearcel F. Craig for his extraordinary leadership, service, and longstanding commitment to our community.
For 39 years, The King Arts Complex has been a place where arts, culture, and community come together to educate, inspire, and empower. Through arts education, exhibitions, performances, and community programming, we create meaningful opportunities for connection, creativity, and cultural expression.
Support from this event helps sustain and strengthen that work, ensuring our continued impact for years to come.
Thank you for your commitment to the power of arts and culture to strengthen communities. We hope you will join us in supporting The King Arts Complex and our mission of connecting the community through the arts.
May 14,2026 @ The Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square. Columbus, OH
6 PM – 10 PM

Women's Service Board - 14th Annual Wine Sip & Taste of Jazz
2026-06-04 18:00 - 20:00 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
The Women’s Service Board of the King Arts Complex hosts the 14th Annual “Wine Sip & Taste of Jazz” event. Scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2026, the event features wine tastings, live jazz music, and food. This social fundraiser supports the King Arts Complex, offering an evening of fellowship and community in Columbus, Ohio.

Summer Youth Academy
2026-06-08 09:00 - 15:00 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
Summer Camp
June 8 – July 31, 2026 (M-F) | 9 AM – 4 PM
Ages 5 – 13 (Kindergarten through 8th grade)
Programming: $125 each week per student
Registration Fee: $25 per student
*Child must be 5 years old by Friday, May 29th to enroll.
Registration and Payments can be completed at the King Arts Complex. Please contact (614) 645-0627 with any questions or concerns.
Get ready for the most exciting, joy-filled summer ever during the King Arts Complex Summer Camp 2025! This camp is bursting with fun, creativity, and endless opportunities for kids to shine. It’s a place where young hearts and minds can explore the arts through hands-on activities in music, dance, theater, visual arts, and so much more! With the guidance of talented instructors and local artists, campers will dive into amazing projects that celebrate the vibrant culture and history of their community.
But it’s not just about the arts—it’s about building confidence, discovering new talents, and forming lifelong friendships. As campers learn about African American history and culture, they’ll gain a deep appreciation for their roots, all while having an absolute blast!
This is more than just a summer camp; it’s a place where creativity flourishes, memories are made, and every child leaves with a feeling of inspiration, empowerment, and ready to take on the world. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable adventure at the King Arts Complex!
Summer Arts Camp is an 8-week, all day program. Summer Academy runs throughout the Columbus City Schools summer recess.
The camp will run on a STEAM module (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) and will include:
• Dance
• Music
• Coding
• Visual Arts
• Creative Writing
• Photography
Scholarships
If this program is out of your price range, a scholarship opportunity may be available.

Juneteenth Illumination
2026-06-15 19:30 - 20:30 | Columbus City Hall, 90 West Broad Street, Columbus, 43215, United States
Join Columbus City Council and partners the King Arts Complex, Columbus Urban League, Ohio History Connection – Poindexter Village African American Museum, and Maroon Arts Group to illuminate City Hall in honor of Juneteenth on Monday, June 15th at 7:30 PM.

Parking will be provided at the Coleman garage located at 141 N. Front Street until 9 PM free of charge. The entrance to the garage is located in the back, on Ludlow Street between Long and Spring. All guests must park on level 2 in the garage.

Register today!

Juneteenth is celebrated annually, usually on the 19th of June to mark the date when some of the last enslaved people in the Confederacy were notified of their freedom following the Civil War. Juneteenth on the Ave.™ is set to take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm in the heart of Bronzeville Columbus with a the city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Freedom.
More infoermation.

Juneteenth on the Avenue
2026-06-20 12:00 - 18:00 | Mt. Vernon Avenue
Juneteenth is celebrated annually, usually on the 19th of June to mark the date when some of the last enslaved people in the Confederacy were notified of their freedom following the Civil War. Juneteenth on the Ave.™ is set to take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm in the heart of Bronzeville Columbus with a the city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Freedom.

Bestselling authors of THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN return with A PAIR OF ACES!
2026-06-28 16:30 - 18:30 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
Join Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling authors of The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies, as they launch their gripping novel, A Pair of Aces, about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law—a prosecutor and a madam—who team up to bring down notorious mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York.
Registration is on Eventbrite. A ticket to this program includes a copy of A PAIR OF ACES.
KING ARTS COMPLEX is Gramercy’s Community Partner for this program.
Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City’s five largest organized crime families. Other prosectors have tried to bring down Lucky, but they’ve all focused on the crime syndicate’s traditional businesses—bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking, and drug dealing—or tax evasion. No one has thought to approach the mob through its hand in prostitution. Until Eunice. But she can’t get Luciano alone.
Polly Adler has worked long and hard to build up her high-class brothel business. Her client list is filled with well-known names, both the famous and the infamous, who all know her booze is top-notch, her music first-rate, her food exquisite, and her girls the best. But Lucky has gone too far, putting her girls in danger, and Polly finally sees the chance to end his reign once and for all.
Together, Eunice and Polly fashion a case utilizing a network of women. Bridging the enormous divide between them and risking their own lives, they assemble evidence bit by bit, under the nose of the man they’re trying to convict. It is this very alliance—of two women from vastly different worlds—that launches the most sensational trial New York City has ever seen.
Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years of experience as a litigator. A graduate of Boston College and Boston University School of Law, she is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Daughter of Egypt, The Queens of Crime, The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, Lady Clementine, The Only Woman in the Room, Carnegie’s Maid, and The Other Einstein. She has also coauthored with Victoria Christopher Murray the New York Times bestselling The Personal Librarian, a Good Morning America book club pick, and The First Ladies, Target’s 2023 Book of the Year. All have been translated into multiple languages, and many have been selected for national book clubs. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Victoria Christopher Murray is a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including her most recent release Harlem Rhapsody. With Marie Benedict, she coauthored The Personal Librarian, a Good Morning America book club pick, and The First Ladies, Target’s 2023 Book of the Year. She is an NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work for her novel Stand Your Ground, which was also a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

28th Annual Heritage Concert Series
2026-07-09 18:00 - 21:00 | The King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43203, United States
Join the King Arts Complex for the annual Heritage Concert Series. Once known as the “Cradle of Jazz,” the Mount Vernon of the King Lincoln District is the place to be every Thursday in July and August. Performances from local, regional, and national musical artists will keep it hot with Jazz, Classical R&B, inspirational, and Blues! A Food Court and reserved tables on the Patio will be available.
The King Arts Complex’s Heritage Concert Series has been a signature Columbus community celebration for over two decades, consistently attracting crowds of nearly 5,000 attendees each week! Our annual festival is a family event enjoyed by men, women, and children of all backgrounds. Bring a blanket, or lawn chair, and relax in the beautiful Mayme Moore Park!
