Hawaiʻi Watercolor Society 2026 Members’ Show: “99% Transparent”
On View in the Main Gallery March 3 - 28, 2026

Opening Reception: First Friday, March 6 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

This Hawaiʻi Watercolor Society exhibition features works created primarily with transparent watercolor, with up to 1% of the surface permitted to be enhanced using water-soluble media such as gouache, casein, acrylics, and water-soluble crayons or pencils. The juror is Sterling Edwards, an internationally renowned watercolor artist, instructor, mentor, and author known for his expressive and luminous style. Find out more and see works for sale online at hawaiiwatercolorsociety.org.

The watercolor works are accompanied by beautiful glass 3D pieces by members of The Glass Fusion Collective, which provides a safe environment where fused glass enthusiasts can learn, teach, and create using shared equipment and other glass art resources.

Pushing the Frame: An AP Art and Photography Student Showcase
On View in the Courtyard Gallery March 3-21, 2026

Opening Reception: First Friday, March 6 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

Talented AP Art and Photography students from four different Oahu high schools showcase their work in this special exhibition, presented in collaboration with the Hawaii Department of Education. See work by students from Kalaheo High School, Farrington High School, Campbell High School and Waipahu High School in this all-media display.

Pacific New Media: Contemporary Photography in Hawaiʻi 2026
On View in the Main Gallery February 12-28, 2026

Opening Reception: Thursday, February 12 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

This annual photography exhibition features a juried selection of individual images and thematic portfolios from artists across the state. Portfolios, consisting of 8–10 images with an artist’s statement, will be showcased online, with select PNM Portfolio Award recipients also included in the physical exhibition at DAC. Juried by Los Angeles-based visual artist and Lenscratch Editor-in-Chief Aline Smithson, the exhibition highlights diverse photographic practices—including analog, digital, color, black-and-white, alternative processes, and mixed media—offering a comprehensive snapshot of contemporary photography in Hawai‘i.

Go Figure 2026: Figures & Portraits from Hawaiʻi’s Artists
On View January 2 - February 28, 2026

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

This exhibition features the amazing work of many artists who attend our weekly uninstructed Monday Night Life Drawing, facilitated by Jared Wickware, and Tuesday Portrait sessions, facilitated by Alla Parsons.

Flyer artwork: "Clementine" by Anna Baatz.

Architects as Artists 2026
On View in the Main Gallery January 22 - February 7, 2026

Opens Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 11 a.m.

First Friday Closing Reception: Friday, February 6 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

Now in its fourth installment, Architects as Artists invites architects, architecture students, and professionals in architecture-related fields across Hawai‘i to showcase their creative work and share the inspirations behind it. The exhibition aims to deepen public appreciation for the artistry within the architectural community, and its impact on Hawaii.

Space Age Life, Future Design 1957-1974
On View in Studio 1C January 16 - February 6, 2026

First Friday Reception: February 6 from 5:30 -8 p.m.

Space Age Life, Future Design 1957–1974 is an exhibition showcasing a portion of Tim Apicella’s collection from a period in American and European social culture when industrial designers created with optimism, enthusiasm, and bold innovation, producing consumer goods enabled by new technologies such as brightly colored molded plastics, foam, fiberglass, metallics, and synthetic fabrics.

Honouliuli National Historic Site 10th Anniversary Exhibition
On View in the Main Gallery January 2-17, 2026

First Friday Reception: Friday, January 2 from 6 - 8 p.m.

Downtown Art Center hosts the finale event of the Honouliuli 10th Anniversary Celebrations, marking a decade of collaborative efforts to preserve and share the powerful history of Honouliuli National Historic Site.

Designated first as a National Monument in 2015 and later redesignated as a National Historic Site in 2019, Honouliuli stands as a vital reminder of Hawaiʻi’s World War II experiences of martial law, incarceration, and prisoners of war. This exhibition, sponsored by Pacific Historic Parks, highlights local artists’ interpretations of the site and follows a yearlong speaker series and community programs that explored Honouliuli’s hidden histories.

Portions of this exhibition will be on view at Hawaii’s Plantation Villages until February 20, 2026, and work from the exhibition will be digitally archived at nps.gov/hono.

18th Annual Exhibition of Korea Culture Design Council
On View in the Courtyard Gallery January 2-6, 2026
Jan 7-11: Independent Solo Exhibitions by Selected Artists

This exhibition showcases outstanding works across a wide range of media by an international group of highly accomplished artists. Emphasizing excellence in design, skill, and creativity, the exhibition presents global artistic perspectives while inspiring and supporting Hawaiʻi’s diverse arts community.

Independent Solo Exhibitions:

Solo artists represented in this exhibition are: Lim Sunyang, Lee Joon Sung, Kang Min Jeong, Young Hee Sweet, Choi Mun-ju, and Lim Byeong-deok.

Banner image at top of page: “Abacus” by Jinja Kim