Penny4Arts
Penny4Arts gives every child in Knox and surrounding counties an opportunity to attend arts and culture events/activities at the maximum cost of ONE PENNY (or FREE) when accompanied by a paying adult. See below for more details, or call us at 865-523-7543 for help. New events are added throughout the year, so please check back!
Many thanks to the employees of Messer Construction for their support of this program!
Click here to view year-round events
Knoxville Children’s Theatre presents, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) Reimagined by AI with Genuine Human Assistance from Dennis E. Perkins
May 8 – 17, 2026 – Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM.
Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 747 World’s Fair Park Drive
Knoxville Children’s Theatre, in partnership with Clayton Foundation, will present a live
production of R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) Reimagined by AI with Genuine Human Assistance from Dennis E. Perkins. KCT’s version is geared for ages 10 and up.
This play shows what happens when AI starts doing the creative thinking—and people slowly stop.
It’s based on a 1925 play by Karel Čapek (which introduced the word Robot) in which a powerful company
develops artificial workers designed to eliminate inefficiency, emotion, and human error. The system works—productivity increases, costs drop, and human labor becomes unnecessary. So the Robots take over. But as the system takes over more of the creative work, the humans begin to step back. They think less. Question less. Create less on their own. This idea connects directly to recent research which warns that heavy reliance on AI—especially by young people—can weaken critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. The play brings that concern to life on stage, showing what “letting AI think for us” actually looks like.
This production combines physical theatre, live technology, movement, voice, and ensemble storytelling to create a world that is precise, controlled, and gradually transformed.
Number of seats reserved for Penny4Arts: N/A
We stop giving out seats/admissions for Penny4Arts at: Day before the show
Open to students outside of Knox County: YES
Advanced reservations required: YES
You may receive up to three (3) free child admissions with the purchase of an adult ticket. Please redeem online at knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. Enter the following coupon code when ordering on the website: RURPENNY. Please purchase one child ticket with your order and input the code. Please make a note in the comments section how many total child tickets you need. Child tickets will be held for you at the box office. You must purchase at least one adult ticket for the coupon code to work. This offer must be redeemed online prior to the performance and is not available for walk-up sales at the venue the afternoon or evening of the performance.
For further information, please contact: Sien Moon
Contact phone:(865)208-3677
Contact e-mail: info@knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com
Date(s): May 8-17th Time(s): Thursdays and Fridays at 7:00 pm, Saturdays at 1 & 5 pm and Sundays at 3 pm
Name and address of event location: Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 747 World’s Fair Park Drive
Website link for more information: www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Marsalis Swing Symphony
Thu-Fri May 14-15, 7:30 PM
Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
The Knoxville Symphony celebrates the close of its 90th anniversary season, Aram’s 10th season, and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States with a program celebrating musical and geographic American landscapes.
Aram Demirjian, conductor
Michael Rogers, baritone
Knoxville Jazz Orchestra
MARGARET BONDS: Spirituals
WYNTON MARSALIS: Selections from Swing Symphony
GABRIELLA SMITH: Field Guide
FERDE GROFE: “On the Trail” from Grand Canyon Suite
AARON COPLAND: Finale from Symphony No. 3
MoxCar Marketing + Communications Masterworks Series
Advance reservations required? YES – we stop giving out seats/admissions for Penny4Arts at 5 PM the day of the show for Masterworks performances.
Contact: KSO Box Office, 865-291-3310, boxoffice@knoxvillesymphony.com
https://knoxvillesymphony.com
Amadeus Chamber Ensemble: Rachmaninoff & Friends
Sun May 31, 5:30 PM
Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 711 S. Northshore Drive
“The public is invited to attend ACE’s third free-admission concert of the season – RACHMANINOFF & FRIENDS – under the baton of ACE Artistic Director Brian Salesky. The unique program, featuring Korean soprano Sunwoo Park, is part of the Cathedral Concert Series. Sergei Rachmaninoff gave his final piano recital in 1943 at UT’s Alumni Auditorium which is forever enshrined in Knoxville history with a 10-foot statue in the southwestern corner of World’s Fair Park. He will be represented at this concert with some of his most magnificent songs and opera. S.O.U.L.S. Youth Choir will make their ACE debut in one of the three vocal selections by Piotr Tchaikovsky: a unique version of the Waltz from Sleeping Beauty that includes a performance of “Once Upon a Dream” in tribute to Knoxville’s Mary Costa who was Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. The ACE orchestra will be featured in three thrilling instrumental works: the overture to Glinka’s Ruslan and Lyudmila and the famous Bumblebee and Three Wonders from The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Rimsky-Korsakov.
Free reservations available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cathedral-concert-amadeus-concert-ensemble-tickets-1987688366411
Advanced reservations required: PREFERRED
For further information, please contact: Brian Salesky, bnsalesky@gmail.com
The following guidelines apply to every Penny4Arts event:
+ Open to Knox and surrounding County residents (with a few exceptions);
+ All children ages 5-15 must be accompanied by a paying adult (age 18 and older) in a ratio not to exceed three children per one adult.
+ Proof of Knox and surrounding County residency may be required;
+ At least one in a group of up to four students ages 16-18 must purchase a regular adult admission/ticket (if applicable) for the group to be able to participate in Penny4Arts.