Downtown Dayton Partnership

Exhibit: SELFie: The Power Within
2025-05-22 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
The museum’s pop-up exhibit, SELFie: The Power Within, will be in the Main Library’s Opportunity Space @ St. Clair in May. Patrons can let their selfies tell stories of strength, growth, and self-love. The photos that are taken will celebrate the real, unfiltered moments of mental health, with hopes of breaking the stigma surrounding it, thus allowing patrons to explore the power of being their authentic selves.
A reception opening the exhibit will be held on Thursday, May 1, from 6:30-8 pm, in the Main Library’s Atrium. Local advocates and mental health professionals will be present. All ages are welcome to attend the exhibit throughout the month, including the reception.

NATO Summit – The Dayton Dialogue: Conversations about Peace & Security in the Balkans
2025-05-22 | Roger Glass Center for the Performing Arts, 29 E. Creative Way, Dayton, OH, 45469
NATO Summit – The Dayton Dialogue: Conversations about Peace & Security in the Balkans

May 22-25; Concert Hall, Roger Glass Center for the Arts
Schedule of Events
Registration will open on May 1, 2025.
The introduction of a public forum alongside the official NATO PA event marks a unique addition to this year’s Spring Session, providing and opportunity for the entire Dayton community to come together and highlight the City’s role as a dynamic, world-class hub on a global stage.
The programming will feature thought-based discussions with high-level elected officials, security and policy experts, and local leaders across the NATO countries. The conversations will be anchored by the historic Dayton Peace Accords and focus on the current tenuous situation in the Balkins, highlighting the need for the transatlantic alliance to work together towards a lasting peace.

A Sanctuary for Peace
2025-05-22 08:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Christ Episcopal Church, 20 W. First St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Join us between 8 am and 8 pm while the NATO General Assembly meets (May 22-26) as we raise our hopes and prayers for continued good will, honest communication, and collaborative support, as we pray for peace. Our worship sanctuary will be available for open prayer with resources provided. Twice each day, at 1 pm and 7 pm will will offered short, structured prayer services (20-30 minutes), supporting the work of peace. All are welcome!

Noonday Organ Recitals
2025-05-22 12:10 - 12:35 (America/New_York) | Westminster Presbyterian Church, 125 N. Wilkinson St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Noonday Organ Recitals Four Thursdays in May – 12:10-12:35 Lunch served following each recital.
May 1 – Laura Bottei, Organist, Broadway United Methodist Church, Indianapolis
May 8 – Terry Donat, Organist, First Lutheran Church, Springfield
May 15 – Priscilla Acuff, Organist-Choir Director, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Kettering
May 22 – John Sherer, Director of Music and Organist, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester, NY

Culture & Community Gatherings
2025-05-22 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
As part of its Native American Heritage and Culture programming, Dayton Metro Library will hold Culture & Community Gatherings through October. Hosted by Stephanie Van Hoose, patrons will gather to discuss ways to create the community they want by exploring commonalities through art. By honoring the original caretakers of the land and inviting them into the Library’s space, knowledge and experiences will be shared. Van Hoose is an Indigenous advocate who has hosted several programs with DML in the past. Culture & Community Gatherings will be held on Thursdays from 5:30-7 pm, in the Main Library’s Opportunity Center on the following dates:
March 27
April 24
May 22
June 26
July 24
August 28
September 25
October 23
All ages are welcome to attend. Registration is not required. For more information, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665.

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2025-05-22 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Our artist-led workshops are designed to make community connections between our guests, local artists, and The Dayton Art Institute through conversation and artmaking. Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey Date: Thursdays, April 10, 17 and 24, and May 1 and 8 – 5:30–7:30 p.m Cost: $100 for museum members; $125 for non-members Ages: 18+ In this multi-session workshop series, local artist Jamaal Durr leads participants through an exploration of the fundamentals of oil painting. Sessions will focus on layering, blending, and texture while developing skills through the creation of personalized artwork featuring birth flowers. Jamaal Durr, a Contemporary Artist, is recognized for his figurative works that intimately blend reality and the surreal. Using materials like oil paint, charcoal, and graphite, he explores themes of identity and self-reflection through his timely narratives. Jamaal has expanded his capacity within the realm of Art, having also gained experience as a Curator, Teacher, and Muralist. Jamaal is primarily self-taught, having only received a couple of years of formal training at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, OH and a brief stint studying architecture at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.

Karaoke
2025-05-22 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Detroit)
Join us for Karaoke Thursdays at The Dayton Beer Company, hosted by Limelight Entertainment from 6:30 p.m.-9:30p.m. Cheers!
