Artist Statement: I could be the Poster Child for the slogan “Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.” Handmade paper is the basis for the majority of my artwork, but I often incorporate, weave […]
Co-curated with Tiffany Antone, who recently went through breast cancer and a double mastectomy, this exhibit will offer space for community, connection, and healing through conversations around breast cancer and breast removal. Tiffany, and a community of artists with shared experiences of breast cancer, will showcase visual, literary, and performance artwork, and the Octagon will invite community members to participate in interactive art-making opportunities. This exhibit will interrogate our cultural obsession with breasts, bring light to the sometimes fraught (and oft-times under-realized) connection we have to them, and give voice to the myriad complicated feelings that comes with letting them go.
Exhibition by Cynthia O'Hern, January 30th - February 25th 2023
Octagonal: The All-Media Show is the annual, juried all-media exhibition at the Octagon Center for the Arts in Ames, Iowa.
The Octagon Center for the Arts highlights artwork by local elementary, middle, and high school students annually. GRADES K – 8 (Virtual): SHOW DETAILS: Google Form Submission Due: 5 pm, […]
Downtown Ames has a lot of fun scheduled each day from 5/15 - 5/19. On 5/16 and 5/17, help us add some fun color to our patio and paint on our fence and exterior walls!
Party on the Patio is every third Thursday of the month, May - September from 5 PM - 8 PM. Performers are scheduled to perform from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Drinks and light refreshments provided for a donation.
Exhibition by Leo Bird, May 22 - June 17, 2023
5 PM - 8 PM June 1st, 2023 Here's who is coming to The Octagon during Ames Art Walk! ⏪ Nathan Moore Ceramicist, Artist, Teacher "Born in the Midwest, […]
Party on the Patio is every third Thursday of the month, May - September from 5 PM - 8 PM. Performers are scheduled to perform from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Drinks and light refreshments provided for a donation.
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)