2026 OPEN CENTER: Artists & Community

In April, BAC launches Open Center , expanding how we use our space beyond traditional gallery exhibitions. The Open Center will serve as a hub where ideas, artists, and community intersect, offering opportunities for interdisciplinary, intercultural, and inter-philosophical dialogue, reflection, and activation. Throughout the month, the gallery will transform into a communal workspace for artists and community gatherings. BAC artists-in-residence working across a variety of media will explore the multifaceted relationships between art, nature, culture, and site to expand their creative practices. The gallery will also serve as a laboratory for developing new forms of engagement and activation by drawing inspiration from BAC and the natural environment. Artists will share their creative work and processes through public programs. Community partners will also use the space to connect, bringing together diverse audiences for thoughtful, relevant activities. We envision a place for the community to gather, with art at the center as a catalyst for social change, healing, and imagination during uncertain times. With spring comes hope and renewal, and a time to gather, create, share, listen, and learn. These gatherings will draw on artists' creativity and networks to explore new possibilities for community engagement within an institutional setting, while amplifying the work and voices of marginalized and vulnerable communities. As BAC approaches its 60th anniversary in 2027, we are reflecting on our roles as a contemporary art gallery, a community gathering place, and a resource for emerging Bay Area artists. We recognize a significant opportunity to work more expansively with artists and to better support their visions, processes, and projects in community settings.