A favorite aphorism of Lynn Wyatt, the famed Houston philanthropist, goes something like this: “The soul of any city is the quality of its arts.” And in 2018, the matter is more than settled. We’ve got soul and then some—more options for what to see and do each season than we could possibly know what to do with.

Keep Houstonia’s fall arts guide on hand to navigate which visiting authors to root for and which theater shows call for front-row seats. Refer to it when you feel the need to validate your decision that yes, those Jay-Z/Beyoncé tickets are worth that wad of cash. Most of all, use this guide to appreciate the creative vision from the institutions big and small, experimental and established, that make this city feel alive. Your own soul will thank you.