Ruby City is proud to partner with National Poetry Month San Antonio for the annual Ekphrastic Poetry Contest, culminating in a public Celebration Reading at the McNay Art Museum. Winning poets will read their original poems inspired by Norma (2019), a painting by Daniel Rios Rodriguez from his exhibition Open This Wall, currently on view in Studio at Chris Park.

Ekphrastic poetry responds to works of visual art, exploring how an artwork moves, challenges, or inspires the writer. The contest is open to San Antonio and South Texas poets, with categories for adults and youth. Read the 2026 winning poetry inspired by Norma (2019), here.

On May Day, as workers, students, and communities across the country take part in a National Day of Action and strike, Ruby City invites the public to start their day at Chris Park to gather, connect, and reflect on the day’s themes of labor, collective action, and community care. 

In partnership with Read Free SA and Mural Roasters, this May Day celebration features a curated selection of books and zines exploring labor movements and social justice along with complimentary coffee and tea. DJ Tones will create the soundtrack for the morning with deep house, funk, and soul. 

Visitors are also invited to experience Open This Wall on view at Studio. The solo exhibition by Daniel Rios Rodriguez explores everyday life, memory, and dream imagery through a personal and symbolic visual language, offering a contemplative space that resonates with the morning’s themes of reflection and shared human connection. 

Guests are encouraged to return later in the day for guided campus tours beginning at the Ruby City Plaza at 1PM and 3PM, offering deeper engagement with the exhibitions and Ruby City’s collection. 

Always free.

***Registration is now full! Please email Ruby City Manager of Public Programs Ashley Mireles at amireles@rubycity.org to join the waitlist***

To celebrate the dreaming life of our founder, Linda Pace, Ruby City will host its second quarterly dreamwork workshop with writer and creativity coach, Leigh Baldwin.

In each 90-minute session, participants discuss how and why to work with dreams, how to improve recall and recording of dream messages, and methods of interpreting dream symbols. Sessions will conclude by offering up dreams from our participants for group discussion and interpretation. All materials for workshop will be provided.

Free to attend, space is limited. Reserve your spot! 

Join Ruby City for Civics 101, an informative and accessible workshop led by Radical Registrars, a women-led, nonpartisan group dedicated to expanding civic participation and voter education.

As part of Ruby City’s ongoing commitment to social justice, community dialogue, and meaningful engagement, this one-hour session will explore the fundamentals of civic life, including who our local representatives are, why voting matters, positions up for election, and how systems like gerrymandering shape outcomes. Participants can also gain a clearer understanding of political parties and their platforms, along with tools for navigating the voting process. Participants will also have an opportunity to register to vote.

Designed to be welcoming and straightforward, Civics 101 is ideal for first-time voters, those seeking a refresher, and anyone interested in deepening their understanding of civic participation.

Free and open to all. Registration is encouraged.

Radical Registrars is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit organization formed after the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black people in 2020. In response to these tragedies, Radical Registrars put their collective pain and anger towards engaging community through youth-led, youth-focused voter registration and voter education. Radical Registrars is Black and woman-led. 

Join us every third Sunday of the month for a restorative, hour-long meditation session led by a seasoned practitioner. Held outdoors in the tranquil setting of Chris Park, each session offers a variety of mindfulness techniques and begins with a gentle introduction, perfect for both first-time and experienced meditators alike.

Please dress comfortably for outdoor weather and bring a mat or cushion for sitting.

Free and open to all. Registration is recommended but not required.

Meet the artist behind Ruby City’s illustrated Family Guides! Join Colleen Borsh, the artist who designs the exhibition guides enjoyed by all, for a special drop-in drawing workshop inspired by the artworks on view. 

Working directly in the gallery, Colleen will share insight into her process and offer creative prompts to encourage close looking, imagination, and personal interpretation. Participants will explore how drawing can deepen engagement with contemporary art, just as the Family Guides are designed to do. 

All materials will be provided, and no prior drawing experience is necessary. Guests are welcome to drop in at any time during the session and stay as long as they like. 

Registration is not required but encouraged. 

Colleen Borsh is an artist and educator. She has a special interest in promoting play and discovery. She designs interactive programs and gallery resources (family guides) to encourage curiosity, wonder and experimentation. Most days she can be found brainstorming, drawing or writing on the good corner of the couch with a cold lime Topo Chico.

Join us every third Sunday of the month for a restorative, hour-long meditation session led by a seasoned practitioner. Held outdoors in the tranquil setting of Chris Park, each session offers a variety of mindfulness techniques and begins with a gentle introduction, perfect for both first-time and experienced meditators alike.

Please dress comfortably for outdoor weather and bring a mat or cushion for sitting.

Free and open to all. Registration is recommended but not required.

Join Ruby City for an outdoor screening of Art in the Twenty-First Century: Realms of the Real, a one-hour film from Art21 exploring how contemporary artists challenge and expand our understanding of reality. Through practices spanning sculpture, photography, and installation, the artists featured examine how images, objects, and narratives shape what we perceive as real. 

Presented at Chris Park, this screening invites attendees to reflect on how artists construct meaning from everyday materials, cultural symbols, and personal experience, ideas that resonate deeply with Ruby City’s commitment to innovative expression and the legacy of the Linda Pace Foundation Collection. 

Studio will remain open until 8:30PM, offering visitors the opportunity to view Daniel Rios Rodriguez’s exhibition Open This Wall.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair and join us for an evening of film, conversation, and contemporary art under the stars.