What’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this March

Hello and welcome to your invaluable guide to the best events, exhibitions and things to do throughout March 2023 in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.

Welcome spring and the end of a self-imposed Netflix hibernation. Darkness and freezing temperatures are almost over now, and we’ve a range of fantastic events right here on our doorstep – from exhibitions to musicals, shows and attractions – to keep us entertained throughout the month.

As you may very well know, this is a curated list of the top things to do in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this March. Do take a look at the What’s on section of the website, where you’ll find a full list of events in Oxford and across Oxfordshire, as well as unmissable events beyond the county that would make for a great day out.

Got an event that should be on the list? List your event on The Oxford Magazine and reach an engaged audience of people who live, work or place in Oxfordshire. Once again, welcome to your invaluable guide to what’s on in Oxford and across Oxfordshire this March.

Ellen Kent’s Madama Butterfly

When: 03 March

Where: New Theatre Oxford

One of the world’s most popular operas, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the heart-breaking story of a beautiful young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant – with dramatic results. This award-winning opera features exquisite sets, including a spectacular Japanese garden and fabulous costumes, and antique wedding kimonos from Japan.

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Discover more: Classical Music, Opera & Ballet
Ellen Kent’s Aida

When: 04 March

Where: New Theatre Oxford

This is a tragic story of war, jealousy and revenge at whose heart is the doomed love of the beautiful Ethiopian slave girl, Aida, and the Egyptian hero, Radames. It is brought to life in a production set against one of the greatest pieces of music Verdi ever wrote and features a temple dance, cascades of glittering gold and amazing fire performers.

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Discover more: New Theatre Oxford
Marina Abramović: Gates and Portals

When: Until 05 March

Where: Modern Art Oxford

Gates and Portals is a new site-specific performance-based exhibition by pioneering performance artist Marina Abramović, which explores transitional states of being, with each visitor participating as a performer with a small group of others. Expect to encounter gates and portals that prompt contemplation of bodily awareness and elevated consciousness.

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Discover more: Modern Art Oxford
Oxford Literary Festival 2023

When: 25 March to 02 April

Where: Sheldonian Theatre

The Oxford Literary Festival is a world-class literary event that brings together leading authors and public figures in a magnificent setting in the central university area of Oxford each year.

Festival lineup includes: TBC

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Discover more: Literary Festivals in Oxfordshire
Dia al-Azzawi – Painting Poetry

When: Until 11 June

Where: Ashmolean Museum

This free exhibition presents artworks and ‘dafatir’ from Dia al-Azzawi, an internationally recognised Iraqi painter and sculptor who has been living and working in London since the late 1970s. Dia al-Azzawi is best known for monumental and colourful canvasses, and his work spans many genres, including a type of artist book known in Arabic as ‘dafatir’.

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Discover more: Exhibitions & Displays
Carey Young

When: 25 March to 02 July

Where: Modern Art Oxford

In this major new exhibition at Modern Art Oxford, Carey Young (b. 1970, lives and works in London) focuses her astute vision on female identity with works depicting women working in law and industry, which invite viewers into new perceptions of systemic power, gender and justice. An associated selection of Young’s compelling text and photographic works will connect law, power and visual culture.

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Discover more: Modern Art Oxford
About Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth & Reality

When: From 10 February

Where: Ashmolean Museum

The palace of Knossos, discovered and excavated over 100 years ago, was the centre of a Bronze Age civilisation of people we now call the Minoans, named after the legendary King Minos. This will be the first UK exhibition to focus on Knossos and will include over 100 objects that have never left Crete and Greece before, alongside discoveries from the Ashmolean’s Sir Arthur Evans Archive.

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Discover more: Ashmolean Museum