If your New Year’s resolution is to put more culture in your life, Birmingham is not that bad of a place to be. Take for example, tonight and Saturday at 8 you can see the Alabama Symphony Orchestra perform at the Alys Stephens Center.

Fancy description:

“From dark to light, Justin Brown and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra explore the contrasting works of two of the most influential Russian composers. Virtuoso Vadim Gluzman plays Shostakovich’s passionate and soulful Violin Concerto No. 1, and Maestro Brown follows Tchaikovsky’s troubled but ultimately life-affirming Symphony No. 5.”

Translation: Good stuff. For tickets, give them a call at 251-7727. Cost: $65 to $10.

If that’s not enough culture for you then Saturday is the very last day to see the “Roger Brown: Southern Exposure” exhibit. More after the jump:

However it will take a little traveling to get to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn. But the trip is worth it. The exhibit takes “an intimate look at the life and times of this Alabama-born-and-bred artist.” Besides his art, on display is Brown’s personal keepsakes and flea market collectibles plus contributions by friends and students.

Fancy fact: Brown, who died in 1997, was a key figure of the Imagist movement.

Translation: Good stuff. Cost: $5. Call before hitting the road, 334-844-1484, to check museum hours. If you think Auburn is too far to travel for this good stuff, after Saturday the exhibit heads to Washington, D.C., then New Orleans.

Of course, the highest form of culture in the state is football. Sadly, on Monday, the college post-season will be over. I thought it would never end. And I like football. I’m also sure glad Alabama and Auburn won. But enough is enough. If you care, and you may not since there are no elephants or eagles in the fight, Monday’s 7 p.m. game has LSU battling Ohio St. in the BSC National Championship Game. Tune in to Fox 6 at 7. My hat’s off to the 10 o’clock news team for having to stay up late after all these games.

If Monday is too long to wait, you can watch the International Bowl (Rutgers vs. Ball State) live from Canada 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2. Sunday sees the action in Mobile with Tulane vs. Bowling Green in the GMAC bowl. It will air at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

That’s not all the culture the city has to offer. Turn the tables on me and recommend your own weekend plans.