Every Exhibition at the Dayton Art Institute in 2026

Artist William H. Johnson created his “Fighters for Freedom“ series in the mid-1940s, but all 34 paintings have not been on display together since 1946. The exhibition ”Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice” features this series of works, which depicts both well known and less familiar figures. The exhibition, which opens June 27, serves as the centerpiece of the Dayton Art Institute’s lineup of special exhibitions in 2026. Here is what else you can see at the museum between now and the end of the year. 

Tony Foster: Exploring Time, A Painter’s Perspective 
Feb. 21–May 17

From the seeming permanence of mountain ranges to the wonder found in fleeting shifts in sunlight, artist Tony Foster goes out into nature to create his watercolor works that examine how time shapes the natural world. These works created between 2007 and 2025 serve as watercolor diaries, and the exhibition is organized into four themes: geological, biological and human time, and fleeting moments. Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice 
June 27–Sept.13 

Featuring icons such as Harriet Tubman and Mahatma Gandhi to lesser known freedom fighters such as Nannie Helen Burroughs and William Grant Still, artist William H. Johnson’s 34 paintings from his “Fighters for Freedom” series are on display together in this special exhibition for the first time since 1946. Using vibrant colors and symbolic details, Johnson depicts both the triumphs and challenges faced by his subjects. 

Wall Power! Spectacular Quilts from the American Folk Art Museum 
Oct. 17–Jan. 10, 2027 

This show presents quilts as monumental works of art and serves as the final special exhibition of the Dayton Art Institute’s year. Organized by the American Folk Art Museum, this collection spans from the mid-19th to late 20th centuries. It features examples created by Amish community quilters, African American makers and others who laid the groundwork for quilts to became a major American art form deeply rooted to the American experience. 

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Focus Exhibitions at the Dayton Art Institute in 2026
These smaller Focus Exhibitions feature shows of works drawn from the museum’s permanent collection. 

Exploring Feminism 
Feb. 7–Jan. 31, 2027 

This three-part, rotating exhibition presents feminist artwork from the museum’s newly acquired Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection. The show delves into the origins and history of the feminist movement, which is often discussed in waves and has addressed a range of causes at different moments throughout history.

Symbols of Hope: Eunshin Khang 
March 14–June 7

Eunshin Khang’s paintings are shaped by both Korean and American traditions that embrace differences in material and composition. Pieces feature hard and soft edges, two-and-three-dimensional surfaces. light and dark. Khang’s layered compositions and symbolism offer a vision for peace and connection across cultures.

All the World’s a Stage 
May 16–Aug. 9

From ancient rituals to modern performances, this exhibition examines the variety of ways we gather in communal spaces to both affirm and question what it means to be human. Drawing from the Dayton Art Institute collection, the show explores how theatrical roles can go beyond the stage to shape everyday life by impacting our identity and social interactions.

Getting Technical: Alternative Photographic Processes 
July 18–Oct. 25

This exhibition shows off the experimental side of photography and highlights works by artists who push the boundaries of the medium by embracing nontraditional and historic processes. Featuring photos created by wet-plate collodian and chemigrams to solarization, this exhibition shows photography as a craft imbued with innovation and discovery.  

Looking for Japan: Early Japanese Photography 
Sept. 5–Nov. 29

Showcasing works from Japan’s Meiji period of 1868 to 1912, this exhibition explores a time of significant cultural and social shifts. Featuring albums, postcards and hand-colored prints, this collection of works reveals practices and artistic traditions within Japan, as well as the ways in which the works may have been packaged for, and influenced by, the tastes of Western audiences.

Good Book: Bible Stories from the Collection 
Nov. 14, 2026–Feb. 14, 2027 

The Bible has been the world’s most printed and bestselling book for centuries and has continuously inspired visual art. Drawing from the museum’s collection, this exhibition of paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures shows how artists have interpreted Biblical narratives to communicate devotion, creativity and commentary. 

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