About Downtown Art Center
Downtown Art Center (DAC) is a nonprofit located in Chinatown Gateway Plaza at 1041 Nuʻuanu Ave., Second Floor. It serves as an exhibition gallery and educational space, focusing on Oʻahu's arts scene. DAC showcases local artists and art organizations, providing classrooms for arts instruction and encouraging cultural revitalization in Downtown/Chinatown Honolulu. Visitors appreciate the center’s vibrant atmosphere and the high-quality exhibitions curated by top professionals in the field. The current exhibition features black and white photography, with some interesting pieces that are worth a quick visit. DAC is also recognized as a fantastic venue to check out Hawai'i-based artists, especially during events like First Fridays. The space hosts various events, including live music, drawing sessions with live models, and fun workshops, fostering community engagement. The welcoming staff and cozy atmosphere contribute to its charm, making it exactly what Chinatown needs. While DAC is easily accessible by public transit and has nearby parking options, first-time visitors may need clearer signage to locate the gallery on the second floor. Overall, DAC is seen as a promising and important venue for the arts in the area, making it definitely worth a visit.
Downtown Art Center is a fantastic venue to check out Hawai'i based artists. Highly recommend visiting on First Fridays. They also host fun workshops and host immersive performance art experiences.
Beautiful gallery supporting local artists from Hawaii. Very welcoming staff and a cosy atmosphere, exactly what the China town needs. They also have drawing classes that seems to be highly attended. Definately worth a visit!
It’s a wonderful exhibition space. The administrators there have done an amazing job in the few years since they first opened, and it has a very promising future ahead. The outside curators who they have invited to jury exhibitions such as “Artists of Hawaii” and “Hawaii Craftsmen” are the best in their field. Some recommendations: more signage is necessary for first-time visitors to find the second floor gallery, which is really the jewel of the organization, and although showing a lot of works is important, breaking a show up into rotations and showing fewer works at any given time would result in a much more visually powerful exhibition.