Deeply Rooted STUDIO ART QUILT ASSOCIATION ON DISPLAY AUGUST 11 - OCTOBER 28, 2017, MAIN GALLERY Deeply Rooted, a juried exhibition organized by the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), explores the […]
Saw You On The Sidewalks of Russia (видел тебя на тротуарах России!) On Display August 18 - September 30, 2017, Community Gallery Opening Reception: Saturday, August 26 from 3-5 P.M. […]
Pieced Fabric: Historic Quilts of Ames ON DISPLAY AUGUST 19 - OCTOBER 28, 2017, SWEENEY GALLERY Quilting has always been a social outlet for women in Iowa. Old quilts are personally […]
Kawishiwi River AARON SQUADRONI ON DISPLAY OCTOBER 6 - NOVEMBER 11, 2017, COMMUNITY GALLERY Artist Statement: "The Midwest is presently a battleground for resources. Fracking, oil pipelines, mining, and drilling […]
Relief From Endlessness ANDA TANAKA & JEREMY RUDD NOVEMBER 3 - DECEMBER 21, 2017, SWEENEY GALLERY Jeremy Rudd Artsist Bio A native Iowan, Rudd grew up in rural Benton County thirty minutes […]
Running With Scissors STEVE HOSCH NOVEMBER 16 - DECEMBER 21, 2017, COMMUNITY GALLERY Making art, to me, is not necessarily a response to the world. Rather, it’s often just a […]
Amalgamation CHRIS MARTIN January 5 - February 17, 2018 COMMUNITY GALLERY As developing countries and emerging economies modernize, the traditional crafts that reflect the unique cultural and social traits upon […]
50th Annual Clay, Fiber, Paper, Glass, Metal, Wood January 26 - April 7, 2018 MAIN GALLERY & SWEENEY GALLERY 2018 marks the 50th annual All-Media juried exhibit at the Octagon Center for […]
A Negro From the South CAMERON GRAY February 19 - March 6, 2018 COMMUNITY GALLERY The United States of America is the country where I was born and where I […]
Metamorphosis DAN JOHNSON March 12 - 31, 2018 COMMUNITY GALLERY Closing reception: Friday, March 30 5-7 PM Metamorphosis relates to my broader theme of the possibilities of change and transformation as […]
About Us
The Octagon Center for the Arts is a non-profit community art center in the heart of downtown Ames, Iowa. A cornerstone of the cultural scene in Ames since 1966, the Octagon serves more than 30,000 people each year through art classes and outreach, rotating exhibits, a retail gallery shop, and the annual Octagon Art Festival.
The Octagon Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded in part through memberships, donations, and grants, including the City of Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA) and the Iowa Arts Council.
© 2025 Octagon Center for the Arts. All rights reserved.
Octagon Center for the Arts
413 & 427 Douglas Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 515-232-5331
Email: info@octagonarts.org
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Octagon Shop and Community Gallery
Monday-Wednesday 10:00am-5:30pm
Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm
Friday 10:00am-5:30pm
Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday CLOSED (except during the holidays)