The Dayton Magazine: 35 Years of Contemporary Art in Dayton

April 30, 2026

The Contemporary Dayton celebrates bold exhibitions, creative dialogue and a new season

By Eva Buttacavoli, Executive Director of The Contemporary Dayton

Thirty-five years ago, a group of passionate artists and community leaders came together around a shared conviction: Dayton deserved a place where contemporary art could thrive. In 1991, they founded the Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) to connect the community with the artists and ideas shaping our time. What began as an artist-driven initiative quickly grew into something larger—a gathering place for experimentation, dialogue and creative exchange.

From the beginning, the organization was conceived to present ambitious contemporary art while creating opportunities for learning, dialogue and discovery. Like museums and contemporary art centers across the country, The Contemporary Dayton brings artists and ideas into the public sphere—introducing audiences to work that challenges assumptions, reflects the complexities of our time and expands how we see the world.

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ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY DAYTON

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

Overview: The Contemporary Dayton (TCD) is the region’s contemporary art center. Established in 1991 as Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC), a 501c3, The Contemporary Dayton 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 Contemporary Dayton's accessibility to art, from visitor engagement to educational outreach through store products, programs, and experiences.

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