Fine Arts

Victoria Bach Festival

Founded in 1976, the Victoria Bach Festival is one of the jewels among Victoria’s attractions. Declared as one of the “Top Ten Hot Summer Events” by the Texas Commission on the Arts, the week-long festival held each June features symphonic, chamber and choral works from every period, with an emphasis on the baroque. Artists from Texas and all over the United States perform works by Beethoven, Mozart, Bach and many others. The festival performances have been featured on National Public Radio and performed in San Antonio and Austin.

Victoria Ballet Theatre

Established in 1984 with the mission to involve and enrich Victoria and the surrounding communities with innovative and educational performances of dance, this non-profit organization offers Victorians and their neighbors a chance to experience the fine art of dance close to home.  Beautiful costumes and sets serve as a backdrop for thrilling performances of beloved classic and contemporary works.  Professional guest choreographers routinely collaborate with the company to bring new works to patrons and renowned guest performers from around the world share the spotlight with local talent each season which includes the holiday classic, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and the mixed repertory program Spring Gala.  Victoria Ballet Theatre also hosts diverse presenting companies such as the dynamic New York city dance troupe, Ailey II and cutting-edge musical group, Break of Reality.

Victoria Symphony Orchestra

Any music lover in Victoria will tell you not to miss a single season with Victoria Symphony. The Victoria Symphony Orchestra is a leading artistic force in this area and patrons and the media alike praise its performances. It has also been featured in two hour-long programs on National Public Radio. The Orchestra consists of approximately 65 talented musicians from Victoria, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and other communities. Dedicated to excellence, the Victoria Symphony has attracted such acclaimed artists as Santiago Rodriguez, Nathaniel Rosen, Nancy Allen, David Hickman, Peter Zazovsky, and the late Leonard Rose. A typical season consists of five performances with varied repertoire, usually including a pop concert.

Theatre Victoria

This performing arts organization serves approximately 15,000 theatre enthusiasts per year. Theatre Victoria is gaining a distinguished statewide and national reputation for presenting quality theatrical productions. The Theatre plays host to six locally produced plays written by world famous playwrights and local Victoria talent in addition to offering children’s productions and a youth academy to train young talent.  

The Nave Museum

A product from a donation by Mrs. Emma McCan Nave, the Nave Memorial Building was used as an art gallery for the works of her husband, Royston Nave, an artist from Victoria who achieved considerable success as a portrait painter. The Nave Museum currently serves as an art gallery and headquarters for the South Texas Regional Museum Association. The Nave’s changing exhibits showcase historical and contemporary fine art in a wide range of media, which are accompanied by artist and scholar lectures, art workshops for all ages, seminars and concerts.

Museum of the Coastal Bend

The Museum of the Coastal Bend showcases the rich multi-cultural heritage of the mid-coastal region of Texas. The Museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, exhibit, interpret, and educate using the history and heritage of the region. The Museum exhibit space is allocated into several areas termed “loggias.” These areas tell the story of the first European settlement in Texas- the French Fort St. Louis, the later Spanish settlement at the same site- Presidio La Bahia, the Native Americans present when the explorers arrived in Texas, and the French ship La Belle’s archeological excavation in Matagorda Bay.The Fort St. Louis exhibition loggia explores several subjects relating to the first French settlement in Victoria County and the first European settlement in Texas. From French explorer LaSalle’s early expeditions to life at Fort St. Louis and the archeological research on these subjects, each segment of this amazing story is told through informative scholarly written text panels, photographic images, and original artifacts found at the site.

Childrens Discovery Museum

Tucked away in the old Kreisle Building in downtown Victoria is a special place for the young and young at heart. Once a carriage house, now large purple letters high above the entrance proclaim the building’s purpose. And with a touch of whimsy, brightly colored, hand-painted ceramic tiles adorn the façade and beckon visitors to enter. Once inside, children and their parents have an opportunity to slow down the hectic pace in which we are often caught up and experience the pleasure of unhurried exploration and just plain fun. The museum is committed to provide educational opportunities for children that stimulate thought, imagination and understanding through hands on exhibits and programs focused on the careers and industries important to the area’s development.