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Art events in the DMV

58 upcoming. Art across the DMV: gallery openings, art festivals, exhibitions, public art and maker markets. DC, Maryland, Northern Virginia.

TodayFriday, October 16
All day, through Oct 18
BlackRock Center for the Arts
Final stop of the first survey of women visual artists from the DC metro region, curated by Florencio Lennox Campello. A greatest-hits selection of more than 20 artists closes a year-long run that spanned 20 art spaces. On view at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown through October 18.
All day, through Oct 31
Brentwood Arts Exchange
Anniversary exhibition celebrating 25 years of the Washington Glass School: founders, resident artists, instructors and alumni showing sculpture, installation, public art and architectural glass. On view at the Brentwood Arts Exchange in the Gateway Arts District through October 31.
All day, through Oct 31Free
Del Ray Artisans Gallery
Carnival and circus themed group exhibition at Del Ray Artisans, from fun foods and games to haunted oddities. Opens with a reception on October 2 and closes with a masquerade party and People's Choice award on October 30. Free, donations appreciated.FallHalloween
All day, through Oct 31
Brentwood Arts Exchange
Solo exhibition by Wayson R. Jones of paintings built from pumice gel and Flashe on wood panel. Color-driven abstract work by the DC-area artist, on view at the Brentwood Arts Exchange in the Gateway Arts District through October 31.
All day, through Nov 7
McLean Community Center
The 15th iteration of MPA's juried biennial celebrating painting and works related to painting, featuring dozens of mid-Atlantic artists across media. On view in the Emerson and Atrium Galleries at the McLean Community Center, with a Tea and Talk on October 21.
All day, through Nov 7Free
Workhouse Arts Center
Documentary photographs by Lloyd Wolf record a pioneering drug rehabilitation program inside the Lorton Reformatory from 1989 to 1991. Shown where the events took place, the images trace recovery and resilience among incarcerated men. On view in the McGuireWoods Gallery with an artist reception on October 3.
All day, through Nov 8
The Artists in Middleburg
Juried group exhibition at The Artists in Middleburg gallery celebrating the seasons of Virginia's Piedmont region. Opening reception on October 3.
All day, through Nov 8
Arches Gallery
Solo exhibition of mythical creatures and magical places by Donnalynne Lefever at the Arches Gallery in the Workhouse. Layered paintings inspired by mythology and dreams, with an artist reception on October 10.
All day, through Dec 31Free
The Kreeger Museum
Seven Hamiltonian Artists alumni show painting, photography, sculpture, video, and installation at the Kreeger Museum, alongside boundary-pushing works from the museum's permanent collection by Sam Gilliam, Frank Stella, Simmie Knox, and William Christenberry. Curated by Anisa Olufemi and presented under The Collaborative, the Kreeger's program supporting Washington-area artists.
All day, through Jan 17
National Museum of Women in the Arts
The East Coast debut of a touring exhibition of twentieth-century African American quilts made in California, tracing how migration west shaped a distinct quilting tradition. An NMWA presentation that opened September 18 and runs into the new year.
All day, through Jan 24
Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington
Five artists with deep ties to Maine's Penobscot Bay coast work across sculpture, textiles, video, and photography. The show traces environmental change and creative resourcefulness along the rugged shoreline. Part of MoCA Arlington's Assembly 2026 biennial.
All day, through Jan 24
Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington
Four Atlanta-based artists (Sheila Pree Bright, Michi Meko, Paul Stephen Benjamin, Shanequa Gay) examine the Southern landscape as a site of memory, power, and unresolved history. Part of MoCA Arlington's Assembly 2026 biennial marking the nation's 250th anniversary.
All day, through Jan 31Free
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art
Mid-career retrospective of sculptor Janet Echelman spanning four decades, from early drawings and maquettes to full-scale net sculptures. The show presents softness as both material and philosophy, with works shaped by wind, light, and engineered fiber. Free admission.
TomorrowSaturday, October 17
10am to 5pmFree
Reston Town Center
Annual street-painting festival turning Market Street into an outdoor canvas with professional and amateur chalk artists, plus live music and free face painting. Chalking starts at 10am, judging at 4pm, winners announced at 5pm. Free to attend as a spectator.OutdoorDrop-in
10am to 3pmFree
Annandale
Second annual community art festival in downtown Annandale with more than 50 local and regional artists, hands-on artmaking booths, and a performance stage with music, dance, comedy, and theater. Free, rain or shine.
10am to 5pm, through Oct 18Free
Great Falls
Annual self-guided driving tour of private artist studios across Great Falls. Visit painters, potters, photographers, jewelers, and sculptors in their own workspaces, from converted barns to home studios. Free and open to the public.
10am to 6pm, through Oct 18
Pyramid Atlantic Art Center
Exhibition by the Outlaw Printmakers collective, opening during Print-O-Rama weekend (reception Friday, October 16, 7 to 9 pm). Print work on view in Pyramid Atlantic's Helen C. Frederick Gallery in Hyattsville. Gallery open Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 to 8, Fridays through Sundays 10 to 6.
11am to 6pmFree
Workhouse Arts Center
Family festival on the Workhouse campus with live music, food trucks, local small business and craft vendors, a pumpkin patch, hayrides, glassblowing demos, and field games. Free admission, raising funds for the Lorton Community Action Center.
11am to 4pm, through Oct 18Free
American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center
Major solo show by one of South Korea's leading contemporary artists, filling two floors of the museum. The centerpiece Taxidermy series layers paint over large photographs of taxidermied animals, probing memory, mortality, and violence. Free admission.IndoorRain or shineDrop-in
11am to 4pm, through Oct 18Free
American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center
Solo exhibition of Islamic calligraphy by Ayesha Kamal, part of the museum's fall 2026 season on life, beauty, faith, and sorrow. Runs alongside shows by Ahn Chang-Hong, Norman S. Carr, and Mary Garrard. Free admission.IndoorRain or shineDrop-in

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