Friday, April 25 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the DAC Classroom
FREE and open to the public!

Hark! On Friday, the five and twentieth of April, all are bid attend the Bard's Birthday Bash, hailing the noblest bard of all, William Shakespeare! With soliloquies, scenes, and sonnets by our brethren of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, and cake and refreshments from the DAC Donation Bar, it shall be an eve not to forego!

Saturday, April 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. $10 per person

Two old friends and master storytellers reunite for a rare evening of back-and-forth storytelling, just as they’ve done many times before—but not for a long time. In the past, they’ve tackled the Japanese tradition of telling 100 ghost stories in three hours and once filled over two hours at a festival when another performer didn’t show. Expect some spooky tales… and more!

Lopaka Kapanui, a native Hawaiian storyteller, author, actor, kumu hula, cultural practitioner, and former professional wrestler, is best known as “The Ghost Guy.” His renowned ghost tours, ranked #1 in the U.S., take guests into some of Oʻahu’s eeriest locations.

Jeff Gere, the host of this DAC series, founded and produced the Talk Story Festival for 27 years, where Lopaka often performed.

On view in the Courtyard Gallery April 30 - May 9

First Friday Opening Reception: Friday, May 2 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

Farrington High School is honored to welcome you with open arms to Beyond the Canvas at Downtown Art Center. This exhibition is an exploration of our student artists’ imagination and creativity, and each unique artwork has a story to tell.

This exhibition features the work of 13 AP Art and other art students at Farrington.

On View in the Main Gallery May 1-31, 2025

Opening Reception: First Friday, May 2 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

This exhibition will feature prints, paintings, and sculptures by renowned veteran Hawaii artist couple George Woollard and Jinja Kim, with some fresh work by George. 

“There is a truth to the  shapes, colors, and composition of art. If you acknowledge them, you can work with them. This exhibition gives attention to the intrinsic qualitative properties of things.”

-George Woollard 

On view in the Courtyard Gallery, May 12-31, 2025

The Pastel Artists of Hawaii present their annual Open Exhibition, showcasing original pastel artworks created by artists from across the Hawaiian Islands. All featured pieces are composed of at least 80% soft pastel, offering a vibrant and diverse look at the medium’s expressive potential. Works are recent, independently created within the last two years, and selected with care by this year’s juror, Lyn Diefenbach, to reflect the unique and beautiful perspectives of Hawaii's pastel artists.

On view in the downstairs Studio 1C May 25-31

Celebration of Life for Esther Nowell : Sunday, May 25 at 1 p.m.

This is an exhibition to honor the extraordinary legacy of Esther Nowell (May 1920 - January 2025), a cherished artist art teacher, and pillar of Honolulu’s art community, who passed away recently at the remarkable age of 104. Esther’s journey was one of immense creativity, generosity, and dedication to the arts, leaving an indelible mark on those who knew her and countless others who admired her work.

All proceeds from donations and the sales of Esther’s artwork in this one-week exhibition will go to The Esther Nowell Art Fund at DAC, dedicated to supporting DAC’s creative education programs. Please join us for her Celebration of Life on Sunday, May 25, starting at 1 p.m.