DOWNTOWN ART CENTER
1041 Nuʻuanu Ave
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Second Floor Gallery Hours: Tues-Sun 11 AM to 5 PM
DAC Art & Gifts Shop Hours: Tues-Sat 11 AM to 5 PM
Upcoming Main Gallery Exhibition
Pacific New Media: Contemporary Photography in Hawaiʻi 2026
On View February 12-28, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 12 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.
This annual photography exhibition features a juried selection of individual images and thematic portfolios from artists across the state. Portfolios, consisting of 8–10 images with an artist’s statement, will be showcased online, with select PNM Portfolio Award recipients also included in the physical exhibition at DAC. Juried by Los Angeles-based visual artist and Lenscratch Editor-in-Chief Aline Smithson, the exhibition highlights diverse photographic practices—including analog, digital, color, black-and-white, alternative processes, and mixed media—offering a comprehensive snapshot of contemporary photography in Hawai‘i.
Current Classroom Exhibition
Go Figure 2026: Figures & Portraits from Hawaiʻi’s Artists
On View January 2 - February 28, 2026
First Friday Opening Reception: January 2 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.
This exhibition features the amazing work of many artists who attend our weekly uninstructed Monday Night Life Drawing, facilitated by Jared Wickware, and Tuesday Portrait sessions, facilitated by Alla Parsons.
Flyer artwork: "Clementine" by Anna Baatz.
FEATURED ARTISTS:
Melinda Alexander
Mitch Anderson
Anna Baatz
Richard Barlett
Dawn Daido
Alexandra Eyer
Bill Hughes
Ashleigh Streff
Debbie Karraker
Juanita KaʻĀhanui
Andrea Kato
Jude Killory
Gloria Kniazky
Beth Kupper-Herr
Flora Ling
Jeffrey Lim
Camilo Martinez
Rachel Melander
Ewa Mosc
Jessica Orfe
Alla Parsons
Gunner Smith
Raquel Tello
Roger Tinius
Burton Uhr
Jared Wickware
Upcoming Events & Exhibitions
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Hawaii Symphony Orchestra's "Music From the Heart: A Valentine to Honolulu"
Saturday, February 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the DAC Main Gallery, free and open to the public
For one day only, HSO musicians will appear in cafés, museums, markets, community spaces, and neighborhood favorites around Honolulu. Whether you’re grabbing coffee, strolling through a farmers market, or visiting a local business, you may find yourself just moments away from an intimate live performance.
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DAC + Guitar Festival of Hawaii Presents: Haru Takauchi in Concert
Sunday, February 15 in Studio 1C. $10 suggested donation.
DAC and Guitar Foundation of Hawaii are honored to present critically acclaimed visiting Japanese jazz guitarist, composer, and author Haru Takauchi, live in concert in Studio 1C from 3-5 p.m. $10 requested donation on Eventbrite or at the door. He'll be joined by local veteran musicians Robert Shinoda, Mark Tanouye and Noel Okimoto. -
DAC Walking Tour: Art, History & Architecture in the HEART of Honolulu
Upcoming Tour Dates:
-Saturday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
-Saturday, March 14 from10 a.m. to 12 p.m.Meeting Place: Downtown Art Center, 1041 Nuuanu Ave (Chinatown Gateway Plaza building) by the downstairs DAC Art & Gifts Shop.
$20 per person, limit 20 people per tour.
Downtown Art Center (DAC) offers a unique way to experience the historical and artistic heritage of the HEART district of downtown Honolulu with this walking tour, led by Historian Gary R. Coover, author of "Pocket Walking Tour of Honolulu's Royal Mile,” and veteran artist and educator Susan Hogan.
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DAC Storytelling Night with Special Guest David O'Shea
Saturday, February 21, 2026 from 6-7:30 p.m. In the DAC 2nd Floor Classroom, $10 per person online or at the door.
Join us as author and actor David O'Shea brings TAXI STORIES to life, recounting vivid tales from his seven years driving a NYC taxi during the gritty 1970s and early 80s—an era of Ed Koch, Times Square hustlers, midnight cowboys, and the city's raw, unpredictable charm.
This show is part of a monthly storytelling series at DAC, in partnership with Honolulu master storyteller Jeff Gere.
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Hawaii Watercolor Society 2026 Members’ Show: “99% Transparent”
March 3 - 28, 2026 in the Main Gallery
This exhibition features works created primarily with transparent watercolor, with up to 1% of the surface permitted to be enhanced using water-soluble media such as gouache, casein, acrylics, and water-soluble crayons or pencils. The juror is Sterling Edwards, an internationally renowned watercolor artist, instructor, mentor, and author known for his expressive and luminous style.
DAC Special Projects & Community Support
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DAC Art & Gifts Retail Shop
Our curated first floor retail shop is a showcase gallery where local artists can sell their artwork, and visitors can buy unique gifts created by Hawaiʻi artists.
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Vacant to Vibrant
Our Vacant to Vibrant project aims to prove that Downtown/Chinatown Honolulu’s vacant spaces can come alive again, as valuable hubs of art, creativity, and community involvement.
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Public Art WORKS!
Our initiative to beautify Downtown/Chinatown Honolulu through the power of the arts employs artists to create colorful, fun, photogenic, and uplifting public art pieces that the community can enjoy.
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HEART of Honolulu Street Festival
HEART is an acronymn that stands for Heritage, Entertainment, Arts & culture, Restaurants, and Theatre & Performing Arts. Together, these elements make up the core of our vibrant creative community, and are the focus of our annual HEART of Honolulu arts festival on Nuuanu Avenue each April.