Shows / KQED Arts
Episodes
KQED ArtsThis San José Food Tent Is a Temple to Crispy Colombian Stuffed Pork
La Grama serves the best lechona in the Bay Area.
KQED ArtsA BAPE Block Party and the Changing Face of San Francisco’s Union Square
The clothing brand’s opening celebration with P-Lo and others comes amid a rebranding of the area.
KQED ArtsY’s Choice Is a Haven of Late-Night Soul Food in Oakland
Braised oxtails, in both sambusa and soupy rice bowl form, are the star of this San Pablo Avenue gem.
KQED ArtsThe Grueling Fight Over Who Profits From AI Music
AI can generate songs in seconds. But that begs a complex question: Who should get paid? And, how?
KQED ArtsIn Historic Objects, a Painter Sees the Origins of the World She Hopes to Create
Nengi Omuku’s de Young exhibition ‘The Gathering’ is staged within the museum’s African art collection.
KQED Arts‘It Ends’ Is a Meditative Zombie Movie, Tailor-Made for Gen Z
Four recent graduates find themselves on an endless road to nowhere in Alexander Ullom’s doom-laden film.
KQED Arts20 Years Later, Traxamillion’s ‘Slapp Addict’ Remains the Royal Hyphy Standard
The San José producer’s debut album is a cultural time capsule of the hyphy movement in 2006.
KQED ArtsReaders Bond Over Faeries, Hockey Players and Dukes at This Romance Bookstore
Gatherings at A Novel Affair in Los Altos feel like the kindest parts of BookTok come to life.
KQED ArtsA New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms
‘Keep It Beautiful’ is an inside look at the Digital Underground frontman’s artistry and complexities.
KQED ArtsJourney Preps for Last Leg of What Could be the Band’s Final Tour
The San Francisco classic rockers play the Chase Center on Nov. 28, 2026.
KQED ArtsAhoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay
Free instructions are available online and from Green Apple Books. No plank-walking required.
KQED ArtsIn ‘Etna,’ a Canine Narrator Delivers a Poignant Anti-War Message
Paul Yoon’s somber, poetic new novel follows a dog conscripted into an unnamed war in an unnamed country.
KQED ArtsThese Model Train Enthusiasts Have Built a Miniature, Welcoming World
The Carquinez Model Railroad Society is a volunteer-run clubhouse with nearly 200 members.
KQED ArtsThe Theater Kid in Your Life Is Going to Love ‘Don’t Say Good Luck’
Is Julia Hart’s teen drama a bit cheesy? Sure! Should you just go with it? Absolutely!
KQED ArtsSuds Francisco Fest Will Combine Funk, Fantastic Views and … Fermentation?
This is a weird concept for a festival, sure, but Afterthought is playing, so we'll see you there!
KQED ArtsCarnage and Catharsis in ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’
Jane Schoenbrun’s movie is a beautifully constructed fever dream, blending high and low brow references.
KQED ArtsOakland’s Most Underrated Chinese Restaurant Isn’t Closing After All
Ben’s, a beloved hole-in-the-wall in the Jack London District, plans to renovate and reopen.
KQED Arts7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend
Bars and clubs across the Town will celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and identity Aug. 14–16.
KQED ArtsDinosaurs Invade 1980s Suburbia in ‘The End of Oak Street’
Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor star in this time-travel thrill ride that’s perfect summer viewing.
KQED ArtsThis Craft Night Might Be the Hottest Party in Alameda
Jenny Baquing once struggled to make friends. Her craft nights now draw hundreds of attendees eager for new connections.
KQED ArtsArtists Craft Sacred Objects in a Tech-Driven World
‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery presents six artists who push back against an isolating future.
KQED Arts‘Wait, What Is This Place?’: Bay Area Concept Stores Blend Art, Fashion and Music
Part venue, part living room, eclectic shops in Oakland and San Francisco bring the creative community together.
KQED ArtsSF Camerawork, Nonprofit Photo Gallery, to Close After 52 Years
The venerable arts space cited rising costs, declining public funding and a difficult fundraising landscape.
KQED ArtsThe Best Fits We Saw at Outside Lands
Music lovers at the 2026 festival turned out in hot looks, fun costumes and bedazzled accessories.
KQED ArtsWe Found the Queer R&B Sanctuary at Outside Lands
Mariah the Scientist, kwn and Destin Conrad turned the Twin Peaks stage into a haven for LGBTQ+ fans.
KQED ArtsIs Roller Derby the Bay Area’s Queerest Sport?
Slamming into opponents on wheels has its risks. But for gender-nonconforming skaters, the track is a safe haven.
KQED ArtsMalcolm Todd Proved He’s Bigger Than TikTok at Outside Lands
PinkPantheress set off a dance party and Silvana Estrada melted hearts at the festival Saturday.
KQED ArtsCharli xcx Made Panties Rain From the Sky at Outside Lands
The pop star headlined the festival’s opening day, alongside strong sets from GloRilla and Wet Leg.
KQED ArtsZÂ Brings Ancient Iranian Songs and Stories to Richmond
The musicians wanted to show a different picture of Iran's culture during this time of fraught negotiations with the US.
KQED ArtsFat Cat x The Mantis Is Serving Up the Most Exciting Vietnamese Food in SF
The Bernal Heights wine bar’s steak frites and herb-topped oysters pack a flavorful wallop.
KQED Arts‘One Night Only’ Is a Tease, But Its Stars Score
Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner co-lead a new rom-com that can only be described as ‘The Purge’ for sex.
KQED ArtsA Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland
Coach G’s fighters from Vertical Skillz Outreach will square off in San Antonio Park for an inaugural tournament.
KQED ArtsHow Oakland’s Black Rock Climbers Find Each Other on the Crag
Black Rock Collective creates a welcoming space within an overwhelmingly white sport.
KQED ArtsCodebreaking Meets Romance in Bay Area Author’s New Novel
In S.C. Godfrey’s ‘The Enigma Challenge,’ some puzzles are interpersonal.
KQED ArtsTicket Alert: How to See the RM-Curated Show at SFMOMA
Museum members can reserve tickets starting today; general tickets go on sale Aug. 11 at 10 a.m.
KQED ArtsA Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings
Robert Townsend hosts nine screenings in San Francisco, including his bold satire ‘Hollywood Shuffle.’
KQED ArtsMeet the ‘Merfolk’ Frolicking in Northern California’s Pools and Swimming Holes
These aquatically inclined performers and hobbyists express themselves through their ‘mersonas.’
KQED ArtsIn a Disconnected World, ‘Finding Your People’ Is More Important Than Ever
A new KQED Arts & Culture series celebrates the subcultures and meetups bringing the Bay Area together IRL.
KQED ArtsSeafood City DJ Brings the Filipino Party Home to Vallejo
Filipino food, DJs and musicians round out a new, free party called Isa Pa.
KQED ArtsAn East Palo Alto Youth Center Makes Space for Adults — With a Side of Funk
At EPACENTER, generations bonded together during Con Funk Shun’s summertime set.
KQED ArtsOlivia Wilde Shines in Playful BDSM Comedy ‘I Want Your Sex’
Wilde plays a famous artist and provocateur who initiates a relationship with a younger employee.
KQED ArtsToo Short, Going Strong at 60, Makes the Case for ‘Senior Citizen Rappers’
‘Who laid the rule down that in hip-hop you gotta stop at 40?’ asks Short, whose 23rd album drops Friday.
KQED ArtsLuis Valdez Claims the Spotlight in ‘American Pachuco’
The writer-director of ‘La Bamba’ and ‘Zoot Suit’ was also the first Chicano playwright on Broadway.
KQED ArtsGlen Hansard, Irish Musician and Star of ‘Once,’ Dies in Motorcycle Crash
The Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin. He was 56.
KQED ArtsHere Are the 13 Books That Made the Booker Prize Longlist
The 2026 list includes new works from household names Douglas Stuart, Marlon James and Elizabeth Strout as well as a few debut authors.
KQED ArtsOne of the East Bay’s Best (and Most Elusive) Lao Restaurants Finds a New Home in Albany
Souk Savanh is bringing its Lao sausage, rice ball salad and budget-priced rice plates to San Pablo Avenue.
KQED ArtsRootStock Arts Creates a Hub for Indian Music and Jazz in Oakland
Drummer Sameer Gupta turned a nondescript office building into a vibrant venue and community center.
KQED ArtsWhy Global Netflix Viewers Are Bingeing South African Soap, ‘The Polygamist’
The Zulu-language drama mixes sex and scandal with a sharp portrait of modern South Africa.
KQED ArtsDick Vivian, Rooky Ricardo’s Record Store Owner, Dies at 78
The Lower Haight shop owner with a contagious love for music had been diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer.
KQED ArtsHow Bay Area Artists Foster Belonging in Unexpected Spaces
Three alternative art galleries carved out of homes and workplaces are part of an artist-centered ecosystem.
KQED ArtsIn ‘Splash City,’ Actor Galaxy Brooks Brings Firsthand Knowledge of the Streets
The rapper’s empathetic performance helps drive a new crime drama about the life of bippers in SF.
KQED Arts‘Lucky’ Is a Crime Series That Starts Mid-Caper — and Dares You to Keep Up
Based on Marissa Stapley’s novel, this aggressively entertaining series is about a con woman on the run.
KQED ArtsThere’s a Zillion Things to See at the SF Art Book Fair
A major publisher’s Susan O’Malley retrospective, Daria Lourd’s new DIY 12" record, and much, much more.
KQED ArtsOrlando Smith’s Urgent Dispatches From San Quentin Arrive at SFMOMA
The artist’s richly detailed drawings about life and aging in prison are the subject of a museum solo show.
KQED ArtsThe Five Best Things I Ate at The Lot in Richmond
A guide to one of the East Bay’s most diverse — and most underrated — street food markets.
KQED ArtsHardly Strictly Announces Initial 2026 Lineup, Including My Morning Jacket
Also on the bill: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, El Khat, Kathleen Williams, Tyler Ballgame and more.
KQED ArtsWe’ve Been Lookin’ for Art in All the Wrong Places
It’s not easy to visit Mike Monteiro’s anti-capitalist paintings, but not all art-viewing should be easy.
KQED Arts‘The Dink’ Is the Pickleball Comedy You Didn’t Know You Needed
The Apple TV comedy runs a grounded but goofy route, with eccentric characters and quality cameos.
KQED ArtsCelebrating the Americans With Disabilities Act in San Francisco
Roxie Theater screenings of ‘Sign 504 Now!’ and ‘Vivien’s Wild Ride’ are accompanied by a panel discussion.
KQED ArtsA New Book Tracks the Case of a Murdered Teen Through a Broken Legal System
‘Catch the Devil’ highlights the fatal consequences of securing convictions over finding the truth.