Dayton Visual Arts Center Presents 26th Annual Open Members’ Show: Light Years Ahead

DAYTON (June 21, 2017) – Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) presents the Annual Open Members’ Show, Light Years Ahead, sponsored by the DP&L Foundation. Light Years Ahead is a group exhibition by DVAC Member artists living and working in the greater Dayton area and selected by prize juror Katherine Ryckman Siegwarth, Kettering Assistant Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at The Dayton Art Institute. The exhibit begins July 7 and continues through August 12, 2017.

To celebrate Dayton’s diverse community of artists, DVAC invited all members to submit one work of their choice. A total of 115 works of art will be on display in all media including painting, sculpture, photography, print and more.

The opening reception for Light Years Ahead will take place on First Friday, July 7, 2017 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at DVAC, located at 118 N. Jefferson St. in Downtown Dayton. A Gallery Talk with the artists will be held on August 12, 2017 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at DVAC. All events are free and open to the public. The exhibition will conclude on August 12, 2017 after the Gallery Talk.

“Our Members’ Show is exciting because it’s always different from year to year,” said Eva Buttacavoli, Executive Director of DVAC. “Some artists interpret the theme literally, while others provide a more abstract interpretation. The beauty is in seeing the artist’s vision unfold. It’s also a treat for emerging artists, whose works are displayed side-by-side with some of the most accomplished artists in the area.”

This year’s exhibition theme, Light Years Ahead, was selected in honor of Exhibition Sponsor Dayton Power & Light by the Exhibition and Programing Committee, with input from the DVAC staff. The theme is open to each artist’s own interpretation of light years ahead.

“This theme represents a bookend to the past year where we celebrated DVAC’s first 25 years in the community,” said Buttacavoli. “Now, we’re looking forward!”

Members have an opportunity to win a cash award for their submitted artwork. The three winning artists will be selected by the prize juror, Katherine Ryckman Siegwarth, Kettering Assistant Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at The Dayton Art Institute. The awards presented at the show will be:

The Lombard Award for Best in Show
The Mayor’s Office Exhibition Award
The 2017 Members Showcard Award Winner

“Since 1991 DVAC has helped sustain the arts community by providing a place to show, market, and sell work,” adds Buttacavoli. “It creates a space in the community where artists can reveal their work and interact with other artists and fellow art lovers.”

Artwork from Light Years Ahead will be available for purchase depending upon each artist’s individual discretion.

For more information about DVAC or the Annual Open Members’ Show visit www.daytonvisualarts.org, and follow DVAC on Facebook (Dayton Visual Arts Center), Twitter (@DaytonVisArtCtr) and Instagram (daytonvisualartscenter).

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ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY DAYTON

Mission: To provide art for the community and a community for artists.

Overview: The Contemporary Dayton (The Co) is the region’s contemporary art center. Established in 1991 as Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC), a 501c3, The Co produces and presents original exhibitions and programs, art events, community partnerships, and artist opportunities. Exhibitions and education programs feature artists living and working today, both nationally and in Ohio, with an emphasis on those whose work focuses on issues of social justice. In addition to its three galleries—open to all and always free—its retail store, the CoSHOP, provides income for Ohio artists and extends The Co’s accessibility to art, from visitor engagement to educational outreach through store products, programs, and experiences.

The Co is proud to support the creation of connections among the arts, community building, civic engagement, community planning, and use of public space, and makes an annual economic impact of 3.4 million to the region. Recently raising 1 million during the Pandemic to expand and move into its new home in downtown’s historic Dayton Arcade, The Co is led by Executive Director Eva Buttacavoli, a 30-year art museum administrator, curator, and educator, whose previous roles were at The Contemporary Austin, TX and The Perez Art Museum Miami, FL; and Curator Michael Goodson, who previously served as Curator at the Wexner Center for the Arts, Beeler Gallery, Columbus College of Art and Design, OH; and as Director at James Cohan Gallery, NY.

The Contemporary Dayton receives operating support from Culture Works, Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District, Ohio Arts Council, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation, and Members.