Archivist Jill Vuchetich offers a sampling of Walker events, from the premier of David Byrne’s The Knee Plays to a 1988 exhibition by Tim Rollins and K.O.S.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the Walker welcomed performing artists like Bill T. Jones, Karen Finley, and Ron Athey, whose work reflected concerns of the day. In conjunction with the exhibition This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s, John Killacky, performing arts curator from 1988 to 1996, shares his memories of Walker performances—and politics—of the era.

Since its launch in 1998, Rock the Garden has transformed from an intermittent street jam to its current incarnation on the Walker hillside, where it draws more than 10,000 fans. The 2012 edition—featuring Howler, Tune-Yards, Doomtree, Trampled by Turtles, and The Hold Steady—is the Walker’s tenth, prompting a look back at the varied, vibrant history of the Cities’ first concert of the summer.