Jazz Got Loose, a juried show of Hampton Roads artists, opens with a free reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at The Gallery at the Attucks. It runs through April 10.

A new art exhibition about jazz opens Friday, Oct. 30, at The Gallery at the Attucks, inside the historic Attucks Theatre on Church Street.

Jazz Got Loose features work by artists from Hampton Roads or with deep ties to the region, Norfolk Arts said. The opening reception is free and open to the public.

When and where

  • Opening reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30
  • Place: The Gallery at the Attucks, Attucks Theatre, 1010 Church St.
  • Cost: free, and the city’s event listing says all ages are welcome
  • On view: through April 10, 2027

What is in the show

Norfolk Arts said the artists were asked to look past jazz as a musical style. The city’s release describes jazz as a form of cultural expression that emerged in New Orleans’ Black communities, challenged convention and helped shape American identity.

State Delegate Jackie Hope Glass selected and juried the artwork, the city said. The event listing says she chose works that reflect the spirit of jazz and the cultural legacy of the Attucks Theatre. It describes a range from rhythmic abstraction to expressive figurative work.

The city has not published a list of the artists or the number of works in the show.

The Gallery at the Attucks opened in 2025 and is Norfolk’s newest gallery space, according to the Norfolk Arts galleries page. Its exhibitions rotate every six months.

Until now, the gallery has opened to the public one hour before events at the theater. Starting this fall, Norfolk Arts is adding select Saturday hours from noon to 4 p.m. The city has not yet listed which Saturdays.

The previous show, Rhythm of the Stage, ran from April 17 to Oct. 16. It featured more than 40 works by 25 regional artists, according to the galleries page.

What it means for you

  • The opening on Friday, Oct. 30, is the easiest time to see the show, since the gallery’s regular hours are limited.
  • After that, check the Norfolk Arts galleries page for Saturday dates, or plan to arrive an hour early for a show at the theater.
  • Norfolk Arts posts updates at norfolkarts.net.

For more to do this week, see our things to do in Norfolk and free things to do pages.