ART IN THE CITY

Art in the City is Downtown Dayton's annual celebration of the incredible collection of visual and performing arts experiences in our city! Dayton has an unbelievable breadth and depth of the arts for a city our size, and downtown is the center of it all. Each year, Art in the City showcases local art and artists of all kinds to highlight and celebrate that artistic variety.

New this year!

This year, Art in the City will stretch beyond its typical one-day event to celebrate the arts all month long!

The celebration will be comprised of three main components (see below for details on each). Those will include:

- An Art in the City Kickoff Event on Saturday, August 1 - (See details)

- Special Art in the City art exhibits and installations throughout downtown, including the annual Juried Art Show - (See details)

- A full month of arts-related events by downtown art organizations and others - (See details)

Art in the City Kickoff Event - Saturday, August 1 - 1-7 p.m.

On the first day of August, we'll kick off the celebration with art of all kinds featured in several hot spots throughout downtown. Offerings will include a variety of Dayton’s best artistic talent - from performances and live music to screen printing and sculpture. The event's art hot spots and their highlights will include:

The Dayton Arcade

- Art in the City Juried Art Show & Art Show Vendors
- Artist Trading Card Exchange hands-on experience (Grant winner)
- Dayton Sewing Collaborative hands-on experience (Grant winner)
- Dayton Performing Arts Alliance Instrument Petting Zoo hands-on experience (Grant winner)
- Patch Lab hands-on experience (Grant winner)
- TDS (Tornadic Debris Signature) interactive felt installation
- Music from DPAA String Quartet and Dayton Opera
- The Contemporary Dayton gallery and activities
- North Arcade shops

Levitt Pavilion Dayton

- Art demonstrations and hands-on activities
- Aerial arts
- Henna and face painting
- Crazy Craig juggling, Slam the Clown, Dan the Magician, Troupe Roja Middle Eastern Dance, The Bubble Woman, Rosie Revolution hoola hoop workshop
- Other roving performers
- Rock Fest (5:30-9:30 p.m.)

RiverScape MetroPark

- Live music on stage
- Interactive mural hands-on experience (Grant winner)
- Fabric of Dayton hands-on experience (Grant winner)
- Face painting
- Otherworld Productions Aerial Arts
- Art demonstrations

The Oregon District

- Car show and fashion photo shoot
- Art demonstrations and hands-on activities
- Artisan vendors
- Roving performers
- Live music and DJ sets on outdoor stages and inside bars (1-11 p.m.)
- Clash Dayton's Summerween Anniversary Party (Yellow Cab Tavern, 6 p.m.)

K12 Gallery & TEJAS

- Fiber mural project in both indoor and outdoor spaces
- Art classes

Chalk the Block - Chalk Artist Zones

See sidewalk chalk murals come to life!

- Outside of the Dayton Convention Center (22 E. Fifth St.)
- Outside of the Greater Dayton LGBT Center (136 N. St. Clair St.)

BONUS EVENT - August 15 - 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. - Dayton Metro Library Main Library
Art in the City Dance Pop-Up 

Watch local artists perform a variety of dance, including ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, traditional, and more! Plus, check out the Digital Greeting Card Workshop from the African American Visual Artists Guild - create a digital card to print and take home!

Watch this space for more details!

Special Art in the City Exhibits & Installations

Art in the City Juried Art Show

In this special juried exhibit, you can vote for your favorite piece of artwork submitted by local artists! These pieces will be displayed in the newly opened North Arcade wing of The Dayton Arcade as part of Art in the City.

The Juried Art Show is organized by the Dayton Society of Artists.

LeMonde Light Lane

Light Lane is an interactive public art installation created by LeMonde Studio. It combines stationary bicycles, projection mapping, lighting, and sound to create a human-powered immersive experience that encourages play, sustainability, and community interaction. Four bicycles will be featured during this month-long exhibit - stay tuned for more details!

Light Lane is sponsored by PNC.

Watch this space for more details on these installations and exhibits - coming soon!

Arts Events All Month Long

Art in the City's celebration of downtown's visual and performing arts continues throughout the month of August!

Below is a calendar of arts-related events planned throughout the month. Be sure to support our great arts organizations and others who plan arts events in our city. Mark your calendar now and plan to experience the arts all month long!

↓ August 2026 Calendar of Arts Events ↓

More events will be added continually, so check back often!