Empty Dresses PAULA STREETER May 25 - June 30, 2018 COMMUNITY GALLERY Empty Dresses as a concept was conceived half a lifetime ago while attending the estate auction of an early Swedish immigrant to the Midwest. Among the many hand crafted items from the latter half of the nineteenth century were two intricately and nearly […]
Grilling Ice LEE RAINBOTH July 6 - August 11, 2018 COMMUNITY GALLERY This exhibit examines the ways that matters of mortality and masculinity manifest themselves in a contemporary Haitian context. Too often for young men in Haiti the way that they express their masculinity becomes a matter of survival itself. In an environment where simply […]
Join us this summer at the Ames Main Street Farmers' Market! Second Saturdays (June -- Saturday)* June 9 July 14 August 11 September 8 Visit us in Tom Evans Park (Main Street) for FREE craft activities for the kids. You can also pick up information about classes, workshops, exhibits, and more. See you there! *May be cancelled […]
Join us for a FREE reception with artist Joanne Alberta in the Community Gallery! Artist Talk by Joanne Alberta at 6:30pm Tales from a Ghost Town by JOANNE ALBERDA is on display August 17 - September 29, 2018 Virginia City is a ghost town—the skeleton of a booming Montana gold mining camp in the late 19th […]
ARTISANS ROADTRIP August 17 - October 27, 2018 SWEENEY GALLERY This year is the 15th Annual Artisans Road Trip. Artisans Road Trip invites you to travel Iowa's scenic byways and back roads looking for one-of-a-kind treasures. Artisans will offer a rare glimpse into creative processes as they demonstrate their craft in personal and unique work spaces. […]
Tales from a Ghost Town JOANNE ALBERDA August 17 - September 29, 2018 COMMUNITY GALLERY Virginia City is a ghost town—the skeleton of a booming Montana gold mining camp in the late 19th century. As a museum it is the record of one of hundreds of get-rich-quick dramas related to the search for gold in […]
Friday Morning Art Projects, ages 6 - 11 Friday, August 17 9:15 – 10:30 am $15 Students will learn and create using a variety of printmaking methods and materials. Class limit 10 students. Instructor: Beth Weninger Hunziker/Adams Studios
Natural Dyes: Serendipity Dyeing with Flowers, Berries, Leaves, and More Sunday, August 19 1 – 3 pm $55 Learn to dye silk scarves and cotton fabric with a huge variety of easy to obtain dye materials. We will use fresh garden flowers, herbs, and leaves, as well as a variety of materials (copper pennies, spent […]
Monday & Tuesday, 9:30 – 11:30 am August 20 & 21 $50 This mini – camp is intended for students entering kindergarten in the fall. Artist-inspired mixed media projects will make for a fun morning of art. Please provide a small snack and water for your child each day of camp. Class size limit 12 […]
Exploring Art Ages: 18 months – younger 3’s Tuesdays, 9:15 - 10am $55 for each 4 week session -- See the class listing for the other 4 week sessions. September 4 – 25 Children and their adult partner will explore art together in a relaxed environment. Toddlers will create their own works of art while learning new […]
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)