Free & Cheap Culture Events in Dallas This Week

Complaining that you’re bored is, well, boring. In all likelihood, your boredom is related to your booze-rotted brain and not due to a lack of arts and culture in Dallas. There is plenty to do, even if sometimes you do have to look hard for an interesting and inexpensive way to spend an evening.

But, because we care about you and your booze-rotted brain, we’ve rounded up the five best free and cheap arts and culture events this week. From children’s books to social justice, there’s something for even the pickiest entertainment snob.

We Are All Homeless
6 p.m. Tuesday, September 8
One Arts Plaza
Free

With all the current controversy surrounding Dallas’ homeless population, it’s important to remember that this population is incredibly vulnerable, and also incredibly human. With We Are All Homeless, artist Willie Baronet uses the signs that are frequently associated with panhandlers to explore the humanity of the homeless population, the “nature of home” and compassion. Here’s hoping the crowd that gathers to enjoy fine wines and snacks from Proof + Pantry is inspired to help the homeless in our city.

Keeping It Real
7 p.m. Thursday, September 10
Kettle Art
Free

If you prefer to cultivate a trippy environment without ingesting any actual psychedelics, surrealism is the perfect art for you. At Kettle Art, Keeping It Real explores some of Dallas’ own surrealist painters, curated by Duke Horn. Emily Broussard, Anya Bosworth and John Clapp will present their surreal, bizarre works, and you can guarantee that these diverse interpretations of surrealism will generate interesting conversations with friends and dates.

Trans.lation Fall Celebration
4 p.m. Thursday, September 10
Trans.lation: Vickery Meadows
Free

You may not have realized, but this week marks the Ethiopian New Year. In celebration, Nasher artist-in-residence Rick Lowe and his Trans.lation project will host an evening of Ethiopian music, dance, food and markets, and also showcase the Trans.lation storefront space. Head to Vickery Meadows for henna tattoos, browse the artisan market (bring cash) and sit back and enjoy the dance performances. You might just learn something about a culture you have no experience with.

The Story With No Ending
6 p.m. Saturday, September 12
Circuit12 Contemporary
Free

Dallas galleries have been able to attract some impressive artists to the area in the past year or so, and Simon Bilodeau’s upcoming exhibition at Circuit12 Contemporary is no exception. Bilodeau’s work centers around “the painted image and its location within a given space.” Bilodeau started as a painter and began to incorporate more architectural elements into his work, and the results are impressive. On Saturday, the artist will be in attendance at his first-ever exhibition at Circuit12, so you can ask him all your questions about space and dimension in person.

The Little Shop of Monsters
4 p.m. Sunday, September 13
Dallas Museum of Art
$10-20

If you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you are definitely familiar with the work of R.L. Stine and Marc Brown. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Goosebumps may not have a lot in common, but now the two children’s book authors have teamed up to create Stine’s first picture book, Little Shop of Monsters. Before a reading from the authors, little ones can tour the DMA’s collection of “creepy crawly creatures.” No one’s going to judge you if you want to leave the little ones at home and attend this one on your own — reliving your childhood is best when you’re not worrying about theirs.