Events

The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts will open a new exhibition by Photography Resident Dean Kessmann on Saturday, April 18, 2026, in the Joel Gallery, with a free public artist talk at 3:00 p.m. Kessmann is a Professor of Photography at The George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design who spent his spring 2026 sabbatical in residence at The Bascom, his first formal artist residency in nearly two decades.

Leslie Jeffery’s vibrant abstract paintings – shaped by a lifetime of color, movement, and mountain inspiration – invite viewers into a world where form dissolves and emotion leads the way.

The Art League opens its 2026 season on April 27 at The Bascom terrace, with guest speaker Billy Love offering a look at The Bascom’s creative year ahead.

After 15 years at The Bascom, ceramics director Frank Vickery has shaped a thriving, welcoming studio where artists of all ages discover the joy of clay and community.

The Bascom’s Holiday Market returns with artful gifts and creative traditions.

Ancient myths and nature come alive in Cover Artist Lauren Whitley’s paintings, where plants, animals, and folklore create vibrant stories that speak to the soul.

The Art League’s next meeting takes place Monday, September 29 on The Bascom Terrace, with social time at 4:30 P.M. and the meeting at 5:00 P.M. Guest speaker Lila McAlpin—Red Ribbon winner at this summer’s Colors Fine Art Show—will share her plein air process and offer a live painting demo. Free and open to all.

This fall, The Bascom invites you to explore the expressive power of ceramic sculpture at the 15th Annual Clay Symposium, September 26–27. With artist demos, a keynote, and a gallery exhibition, it’s a weekend where clay meets story, form, and imagination.

Shannon Woodford, this month’s cover artist and winner of The Bascom’s 2025 Dazzling Dahlia Festival Poster Design Contest, transforms rooms into radiant gardens with her luminous oil florals.