The Carter Arts & Lecture Series at ABAC Bainbridge is pleased to begin its exciting spring 2026 lineup featuring world-class music and acclaimed literary talent. Through a varied lineup of speakers, authors and performers, the series provides shared cultural experiences that bring students and the broader community together in ways that inform, inspire and engage.

 
All Carter Arts & Lecture Series events are free and open to the public and will be held at the Charles H. Kirbo Regional Center at ABAC Bainbridge or on the Bainbridge Town Square.

Internationally acclaimed pianist Jasmin Arakawa

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 | 7 p.m.
Charles H. Kirbo Regional Center, ABAC Bainbridge

The spring 2026 series opens with a recital by internationally acclaimed pianist Jasmin Arakawa, whose performances have been described by Gramophone as having “characterful sparkle.”

Arakawa has appeared in concert across North America, Central and South America, Europe, China and Japan. She is a prizewinner of the Jean Françaix International Music Competition and has performed in major venues including Carnegie Hall, Salle Gaveau and Victoria Hall. Her performances have been broadcast on BBC Radio and Radio France.

As a concerto soloist, Arakawa has performed with the Philips Symfonie Orkest in Amsterdam, the Orquestra Sinfônica de Piracicaba in Brazil and orchestras throughout the United States and Japan. Her debut solo recording, Klavierabend (MSR Classics), received strong critical praise, with American Record Guide highlighting her “rich lyricism” and “supreme clarity.”

Arakawa serves as associate professor of piano and piano area coordinator at the University of Florida and is director of the UF International Piano Festival.

Additional events

Author Skip Horack

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 | 7 p.m.
Charles H. Kirbo Regional Center, ABAC Bainbridge

Award-winning author Skip Horack will headline an evening of literature and storytelling as part of the Carter Arts & Lecture Series.

The Joe Gransden Quartet with the ABAC Jazz Ensemble

Friday, April 17, 2026 | 6 p.m.
Bainbridge Town Square

The spring 2026 series concludes with an outdoor jazz performance featuring the Joe Gransden Quartet alongside the ABAC Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Andrew Peal.