Exhibit: Laura Sanders: Force of Nature
2025-05-16 11:00 - 2025-08-23 18:00 (America/New_York) | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present a mid-career survey of work by Laura Sanders, an artist whose lush, photorealistic oil paintings of women and girls immersed in natural environments merge the genres of landscape and figurative work. Her subject matter considers the complex realities of women venturing beyond perceived safe places, as well as environmental concerns and the effects of consumerism. Another theme evident in this exhibition is the passage of time, as depicted in the portraits of her model, her daughter Elena, from a young child to an adult woman.
Laura Sanders is a Columbus-based artist who also maintains a studio in New York. She is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design. Her work has been exhibited at Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, NY and Nino Meier Gallery, Los Angeles, CA and is in the permanent collection of the Columbus Museum of Art and the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection, West Palm Beach, FL, as well as many other public and private collections.
In conjunction with the exhibition, The Co will produce a catalogue with an essay by Heather Jones. Both the catalogue and a selection of prints by the artist will be available for purchase in The CoSHOP Pop-up Print Shop.

Exhibit: Erin Holscher Almazan: What These Arms Hold
2025-05-16 11:00 - 2025-08-23 18:00 (America/New_York) | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present a new body of work by Erin Holscher Almazan. In these gestural oil paintings, Holscher Almazan examines the physical and emotional changes that naturally occur between a mother and her children, while reckoning with the fact that as her sons grow older, they also become more independent. In this series, she navigates this emotional space of attachment and detachment, of holding and letting go, through the use of color with an emphasis on hands and touch.
Erin Holscher Almazan is a Professor of Drawing and Printmaking at the University of Dayton. A native of North Dakota, she received a BFA in Fine Arts from Minnesota State University Moorhead and an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology. She resides in Dayton with her husband and two sons. In conjunction with the exhibition, a selection of prints by the artist will be available for purchase in The CoSHOP Pop-up Print Shop.

Exhibit: Christine Gaffney: Well-Balanced
2025-05-16 11:00 - 2025-08-23 18:00 (America/New_York) | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present a solo exhibition of the work of interdisciplinary artist Christine Gaffney. Her sculpture and videos act as intimate self-portraits and reflections on her psyche and the dualities of female identities. Gaffney portrays the dichotomy of what we present to the public versus what we keep to ourselves, often employing her own body as a sculptural object to express agency and to collapse the relationship between object and maker.
Gaffney is an interdisciplinary artist from Dayton, Ohio. She holds an MFA from California Institute of the Arts where she studied Art and Technology and Integrated Media. Gaffney also studied Fine Art at Pratt Institute and the Columbus College of Art and Design. She earned a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Her practice embraces ideas around body image, body politics, feminism, and disability justice.

Living Color – Closing Celebration
2025-07-11 18:00 - 2025-09-11 20:00 (America/New_York) | Edward A. Dixon Gallery, 222 N. St. Clair St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Come enjoy the artwork and the vibe during the Closing Celebration for the group art exhibition “Living Color”. Lite refreshments served and music by Isicle. Artist participating in this group exhibition include: Julio Antonio Pino Varens Michael Surber Ron Rollins Hadley Rodebeck Tobi Ewing April Sunami Evelyn ‘Hadeev’ Hargrove Zuri Ali Cedric Michael Cox Shon Curtis Alisa H. Workman

Exhibit: Enduring the Seige of Sarajevo – Snapshots of Survival
2025-07-16 | The International Peace Museum, 10 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402

GREAT Miami Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge
2025-07-16 | Great Miami River
The 2025 GREAT Miami Riverway Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge June 13 – July 20, 2025 Hosted by the Great Miami Riverway, the 2025 GREAT Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge is a family-friendly, virtual fishing tournament. This is a catch and release tournament only. Anglers can fish anywhere on the Great Miami River. There is no better river for smallmouth bass fishing! Win prizes for your record catch. During the tournament, anglers will use the iAngler Tournament app to photograph their catch and record basic information while on the water. All Ohio fishing regulations apply. Unlimited number of fish entries. Thanks to a generous sponsorship from the International Game Fish Association, we are able to offer FREE IGFA Digital Memberships* ($20 value per membership) for all registrants! Exclusive “Members Only” online access to: IGFA World Record database, Exclusive How-To & Historical Videos, World Record Game Fishes archives The monthly International Angler digital publication Members Only discounts on tackle, trips, charters and more from IGFA partners PRIZES TO BE ANNOUNCED! Read the Rules and Regulations below. Awards event date, time and location will be announced prior to the end of the tournament.

Heidi Brueckner and Jennifer Scheuer Exhibits
2025-07-16 | Galleries at Sinclair College, 444 W. Third St., Bldg. 13, Dayton, OH, 45402
The Sinclair Community College Art Department is pleased to present work by Heidi Brueckner and Jennifer Scheuer in the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery and Works on Paper Gallery. Inspired by observing others as a way to understand ourselves, Brueckner creates intricate portraits filled with color, pattern, texture, and a variety of recycled materials. These works produce narratives which explore personage through self-presentation, facial expressions, and gesture. They inspect the under-revered and appreciate the subject’s presence and dignity, not only honoring the individual, but the earth and humanity as a whole. Scheuer addresses ideas of healing, the body, plants, and the history of medicine through printmaking. Much of her work responds to the historical idea of the Doctrine of Signatures, which suggests visual or sensory properties of plants correlate to healing properties. Additionally, she explores sequential imagery, narrative complexity, and play through artist books with their interactive, sculptural, and time-based qualities. There will be a virtual artist talk via Zoom on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 12pm. Visit www.sinclair.edu/artgalleries for details. The exhibitions will be on display from July 1–August 9, 2025. Galleries are located on the fourth floor of building 13 (located at West Fifth and Perry Streets). The galleries are free and open to the public from 8am–6pm Monday–Friday and 9am–12pm Saturdays.

Exhibit: Curtis Barnes, Sr., Dayton Icon
2025-07-16 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Curtis Barnes, Sr., Dayton Icon
July 12–September 14, 2025
A painter and educator, Curtis Barnes, Sr. was a longtime fixture of Dayton’s art scene. His bold, colorful, experimental paintings are a distinctive blend of naturalism and abstraction. They frequently include self-portraits and portraiture depicting the people in his life. His influence is still felt today among his students and in the African American Visual Arts Guild, which he co-founded with artist “Bing” Davis in 1992. He was recognized for his artistic contribution and presented with the “Paul Laurence Dunbar Humanitarian Award” in 1994 and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Ohio Arts Council in 2008.
This exhibition comes on the 90th anniversary of his birth and is a celebration of Barnes’ life and art. A DAI exclusive, this collection of works was drawn from his family and friends.

CURIO: Lunch Box
2025-07-16 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Courthouse Square, Third & Main Streets, Dayton, OH, 45422, USA
Throughout the summer months, fun, out-of-the-box entertainment can be found on Courthouse Square, with CURIO serving as the hub of community, connection, and collaboration!
Big ideas can come in small packages, and CURIO is the first step in a larger, longer-term plan to revitalize Courthouse Square. This shipping container transformed into an event hub has been combined with new outdoor seating and other touches to create downtown’s newest summer hotspot! CURIO is part of Summer in the City, presented by AES Ohio.
We can hardly contain our excitement for a summer schedule featuring:
CURIO: Lunch Box
Free lunchtime entertainment Tuesdays-Thursdays, 12-2 p.m.
Trivia Tuesdays – bring your team to win prizes
ZENsdays – Unwind. Decompress. Read. Play a game. Relax and zen out on your lunch break.
Unplugged Thursdays – live acoustic music or DJs
Bring your friends and coworkers for a midday break outside!
CURIO: Lunch Box features free lunchtime entertainment from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week during the summer months.
Food vendors also set up on Courthouse Square each weekday, allowing downtown workers and others to grab lunch from a vendor or a downtown restaurant and take in the entertainment while enjoying the outdoors downtown.
Be sure to “Like” CURIO at Courthouse Square on Facebook to get the latest updates on upcoming entertainment and more. You can also request to receive regular emails about what’s planned for CURIO.

Community Fitness – SWERK
2025-07-16 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
SWERK (Sweat, Work, Twerk) combines current HipHop style dance moves with lower body toning exercises to bring you one Booty-licious bod. A true “lift your booty, love your body” experience. Beyonce’s welcome. No previous dance experience necessary, just come MOVE and have FUN. We can’t wait to SWERK with you!

Community Fitness – Bootcamp
2025-07-16 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Join The Unit for an exciting bootcamp workout that will take you through RiverScape in a whole new way. Whether you’re running the stairs, doing push-ups near the reflecting pools, or stretching along the levee, this effective workout will keep you moving. Combined with the uplifting support of the community members that make up The Unit, this is a workout you will want to make part of your weekly routine. All fitness levels welcome and encouraged!

Live Trivia
2025-07-16 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E 4th St, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
We are excited to host live trivia every Wednesday at The Yellow Cab Tavern! Since there are a limited number of indoor tables, so please reserve as soon as possible.
Pepper Sprout Productions will be doing 3 rounds of general trivia from 6:30 – 8:30! Win prizes and gift cards! Watch their page on the day of for a clue about the bonus round theme!
You can enjoy pizza from The Pizza Bandit and beverages from The Yellow Cab Tavern!Pizza Bandit’s standard carryout, delivery, and onsite dining will be available from 4-9pm!

Puzzle Feud
2025-07-16 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Detroit) | OH
Calling all puzzle fans! Join us for Puzzle Feud every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (or until the first puzzle is completed). Complete a 500-piece puzzle of your choice with teams of up to 4 with a 2-hour limit. All teams must sign up at the bar on the day of and teams must go to the bar once their puzzle is completed. The winning team receives a prize. Cheers!
