Current Classroom Exhibition

Art Is… A Community’s Voice at The Capitol
On View in the DAC Classroom, June 2-29, 2025

This series of posters was created in spring 2025 as part of a community-driven project led by the Hawai‘i Arts Alliance in response to a pivotal moment for the arts in Hawai‘i.

As lawmakers prepared to celebrate Art at the Capitol Day, conversations behind the scenes revealed efforts to weaken the Works of Art Special Fund—Hawai‘i’s landmark public funding program that has supported artists, educators, and cultural organizations for decades. In the face of this contradiction, the arts community sought a way to show up with both aloha and conviction. With the help of two remarkable cultural leaders, Maile Meyer and Meleanna Meyer, the Alliance invited the community to gather at Native Books in Chinatown for a sign-making activity. The prompt was simple yet powerful: “Art is…” From there, community members filled thought bubbles with their own expressions—“Art is resistance,” “Art is freedom,” “Art is essential. Keep it funded!”

The resulting posters were carried to the Hawai‘i State Capitol for Art at the Capitol Day on Friday, April 11, 2025—a peaceful but powerful demonstration of unity, purpose, and love for the arts. This moment allowed artists, educators, and advocates to come together in creative resistance, reminding decision-makers why the arts matter so deeply to our communities.

Now on display, these posters reflect the diverse and heartfelt perspectives of Hawai‘i’s people. They are a visual affirmation of what we stand to lose—and why we must continue to stand together.

Current Courtyard Gallery Exhibition

DAC Art & Gifts Shop Presents Sergio Garzon
On View July 2-30, 2025

Sergio Garzon is a Honolulu-based artist whose work bridges studio practice, public engagement, and cultural storytelling. He is the project coordinator of PRINT BIGGER, a community-driven event that brings large-scale woodblock printing directly into the streets. Using a pavement roller to print monumental blocks up to 750 square feet, the project invites families and passersby to take part in hands-on artmaking, such as T-shirt printing and collaborative workshops with local artists.

Through PRINT BIGGER, Sergio aims to dissolve barriers between the studio, gallery, and public space—using printmaking as a tool to spark dialogue around contemporary public art, community expression, and the living legacy of Hawaiian myth and culture.

In addition to his public art projects, Sergio is an active plein air painter, capturing the landscapes of Hawai‘i with sensitivity and presence. He currently lives and works in Chinatown, Honolulu.

This solo exhibition is a collection of more recent larger works on gator board that have been inspired by Sergio’s sketchbooks.

Upcoming Events & Exhibitions