TODAY: Sunday April 20 2-4 join us for Sok Song’s Origami Vending Machine!!

TODAY

TODAY: Sunday, April 20, 2-4pm

As part of our closing today for the current exhibitions, artist Sok Song (in Tin There, Done That) will bring his Origami Vending Machine!

People can input a piece of paper and push a button and a get a free origami folded by the machine in under a minute!

After this, go check out our neighbor’s special event: OLMO, just a few doors down, are giving away free bagels and Witch Bitch Thrift for their Earth Day Celebration!

LAST DAY TO SEE TIN THERE, DONE THAT, A DESIRE PATH, STONE SCREEN AND
MAIDAN & XX

Tin There, Done That, a group exhibition kicking off the celebration of ECOCA turning 10!

Tin/Aluminum, the traditional material for a 10th wedding anniversary, represents ECOCA’s marriage of fostering contemporary arts in New Haven and the charitable legacy of Grace T. Ely in her Elizabethan mansion.
Featuring the aluminum themed works of Adria Arch, Adam Brent, Tamara Dimitri, Madison Donnelly, Mary Dwyer, Terry Donsen Feder, Lesley Finn, Elli Fotopoulou, Deborah Greco, Shanti Grumbine, Nate Heiges, Tom Kutz, Maria Markham, Hillel O'Leary, Sok Song, Alixe Turner, Shane Ward, Christina Hunt Wood
Let’s Celebrate ECOCA turning 10!

A Desire Path, inspired by the unplanned trails that humans create despite extensive planning. This group exhibition features the works of Jessica Bottalico, Annie Ewaskio, Jessica Fallis and Sydney Kleinrock. Each artist navigates their practice similarly to such a structure, finding moments in natural settings to get to their destinations; planned or unplanned, cyclical or straight.

Stone Screen, a solo exhibition of Anita Maksimiuk in the Flat File gallery Maksimiuk themes of migration and urban elements represent her experience as a first-generation American. Maksimiuk uses imagery that includes parts of the American Southwest, Eastern Europe and everything that make up the five boroughs of New York City, which she calls home.

Maidan & XX, a two part solo exhibition of photographer Amartya De. On March 9th, viewers are able to begin their investigation into the photographic installation in its starting point with only a handful of photos on view. Over the weeks leading up to April 13th, De will be printing negatives in the Ely Center Basement Darkroom that he spent the previous year creating as well as making archival digital prints. Viewers will get a glimpse into De’s process which has grown out of his years growing up in Kolkata and the time he has spent traveling across the United States. Highlighted in Maidan & XX is a juxtaposition of time and space so viewers have a longer spectral dimension that holds their time - forcing them to be in the moment and retrospective simultaneously.

Commemorative Exhibition to celebrate the life and work of Christina Spiesel
On view April 13- April 27

Special viewing Saturday, April 26 11:30am-1:30pm

IN THE NEWS

With Tiles & Tin Can Luminaries, ECoCA Rings In A Decade- The Arts Paper

Ten Years, Tin Musings- New Haven Independent

Ely Center Celebrates Ten—And Tin—In New Show - The Arts Paper

“Black Governors” Opens At Yale, Centering History- The Arts Paper - This article is written by our own board fellow, Jasmine Marshall, about the new acquisition of work by artist Mario Moore by the Yale School of Management. Moore has a work in our Benefit Gala Auction- do not miss it!

THE GALA IS ALMOST HERE!!

Please come out and support our work at the art auction benefit. Thank you to all the generous artists who have donated work!

GALA TICKETS HERE

YOUNG ARTIST TICKETS HERE

And don’t forget the Afterparty!!
$25 in advance or $30 at the door.

Hosted by Board Member and curator of Weird Music Night, John O'Donnell, the evening will feature an eclectic mix of calypso and bossa nova spun live, accompanied by mesmerizing and Instagramable "interactive video synths" from Andrei Jay—a mathematician and video artist whose work bridges generative media and analog video synthesis. There will be dancing, good vibes, and a surprise performance by John O'Donnell's new persona "A.I. Pacino."

A.I. Pacino is a performance persona created by John O'Donnell, born from a misreading of "Al Pacino" as an AI-generated identity. Part parody, part prophecy, A.I. Pacino explores the absurdity of digital identity while glitching to make sense in a world of endless simulation. Not to be missed.

AFTER PARTY TICKETS HERE

SUMMER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

It’s that time of year to figure out what your New Haven Public High School students are doing for the summer!

We suggest our Summer Apprenticeship Program!

Our Summer Apprenticeship Program’s mentoring artist is the amazing Sarah Zapata!

Applications are live!

UPCOMING

Upcoming @ The Ely Center

April 26, 5-8pm - ECOCA 10th Anniversary Gala
Celebrate 10 years of ECOCA at this ticketed event: Live & Silent Auctions, music, food & FUN

May 4- Opening Reception for Old In Art School: Colleen Coleman, Howard el-Yasin, Sarah Heinemann, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr, Mary Lesser, Susan Luss, Barbara Marks, Barbara Owen, Nell Painter, Gina Palacios, Allison Pasquesi, Carl Patow
Prey Drive: Ashton Philips curated by Something Projects
Fethi Meghelli & Fabiana Comas Risquez
Kasey Ramirez in the Flat File Gallery

Reception May 4, 1-4:30pm w/ panel discussion Sharon Louden’s “Last Artist Standing” Book Tour
Old in Art School, a vibrant and thought-provoking exhibition inspired by the acclaimed memoir of the same name by historian and artist Nell Painter—who will also exhibit her own work in the show. Old in Art School invites viewers to reflect on themes of identity, transformation, and the audacious decision to follow creative passions at any stage of life.
May 4- Special Event: Last Artist Standing Book Launch & Panel Discussion to kick off the exhibition, the Ely Center will host the first stop of Sharon Louden’s national book tour for Last Artist Standing, releasing April 25, 2025. A passionate advocate for sustaining creative careers, Louden will moderate a panel discussion featuring artists from both the exhibition and the book,alongside emerging voices. The panel will explore the realities of maintaining an artistic practice over time—highlighting perseverance, reinvention, and community.

May 5- A Night of Art Sounds, curated by Chanelle Allesandre, featuring the artists Alex Zhang Hungtai & Bentley Anderson.

May 8, 7pm- WEIRD MUSIC NIGHT!

May 24, 7:30pm- Another Night of Art Sounds, curated by Chanelle Allesandre, featuring the artists Virusse (Mid-coast Maine) & Secret Boyfriend (Chapel Hill, NC)

May 25, 1-3pm- Reception for Michelle Young Lee’s exhibition of an all new body of work!

JOIN OUR FRIENDS AND VOLUNTEER FAMILY

SUPPORT ECOCA

M I S S I O N

The Ely Center of Contemporary Art’s mission is to present contemporary art exhibitions and events—challenging, conceptual, and provocative—that are inclusive, diverse and promote dialogue around global and community issues. Our work reaffirms Grace Ely’s testamentary wishes for an art center where artists, arts organizations, and the public assemble, exchange, learn, and engage through exhibitions, performances, and emerging contemporary practice

ECOCA receives support from Avangrid, City of New Haven, Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, Connecticut Office of the Arts, Connecticut Humanities, New Alliance Foundation, Wells Fargo, Yale University, and Friends of the John Slade Ely House of Contemporary Art.