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Tuesday 12pm - 5pm Wednesday 12pm - 5pm Thursday 12pm - 5pm Friday 12pm - 8pm Saturday 12pm - 8pm

Burlington City Arts

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Burlington City Arts

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BCA's mission is to nurture a dynamic environment through the arts that is accessible to all.

The mission of Burlington City Arts is to nurture a dynamic environment through the arts that makes quality experiences accessible to a broad audience. We do this by:

Supporting and promoting Vermont artists and advancing the creation of new work
Offering a wide spectrum of arts education and engagement opportunities
Presenting exhibitions and events that place Burlington in a global context, promote critical dialogue and encourage local participation
Serving as the City of Burlington’s cultural planner by making the arts integral to the area's economic and civic development, urban design, and livability. Burlington City Arts (BCA) has served the cultural and artistic needs of the Greater Burlington area for more than 30 years. Our vision is to fuse a dynamic relationship between the arts and community, to nurture creativity and imagination, and to ignite a passion for learning through the arts. We run a range of arts programs from The BCA Center (formerly the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts) and throughout the city, and have established The BCA Center (formerly the Firehouse Gallery) as one of the few exhibition spaces in the state dedicated to showcasing contemporary art. Coupled with our commitment to accessibility, The BCA Center and BCA’s Print + Clay Studio enable us to present an integrated series of art experiences that help set us apart from other art centers across the country and cement Burlington’s reputation as one of America’s most livable cities for the arts.

10/15/2026

🍂Just like the vivid fall foliage, a new season of BCA Center exhibitions arrive with a vibrant splash on October 16! (Take a sneak peek at the installations under way!) Join us as we celebrate the artists behind “Dark Botanica,” “Taken to Heart: Kathleen Schneider,” and “Forms of Connection: Trystan Bates,” this Friday from 5-7 pm at the opening reception. ⁠
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Meet us on the main floor gallery where “Dark Botanica” explores how contemporary artists are reinterpreting and transmuting the symbolism of flowers and plants, long associated in art history with beauty, fragility, and romance. The work of Alina Bliumis, Cameron Davis, Dylan Griffin, Marcie Scudder, Megan Bogonovich, Sian Fan, and Sage Tucker-Ketcham, offers a strange, otherworldly bouquet of motifs that straddle reality and imagination, and plant the seeds for a deeper understanding of our natural world. ⁠
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Upstairs, in the Roth gallery, Kathleen Schneider methodically creates work through time-intensive processes like hand-dyeing, sewing, and printmaking vivid sculptures, textiles, and prints. In “Taken to Heart” creating is methodical, and these “means of making” - the progression of choices that bring a work to life – remind the artist of ancestral practices in which women build community through shared handwork and draw inspiration from poetry, treasured books and her daily life. ⁠
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Across the hall, Trystan Bates explores storytelling, social interaction, and ritual, as frameworks for understanding our shared experience in “Forms of Connection”. Through a process of collecting, abstracting, and rearranging information into symbolic forms, Bates distills ideas into geometric shapes and gestural elements. Providing just enough information to suggest a narrative without dictating a singular interpretation, meaning emerges in a different way for each viewer. ⁠
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🔗We cannot wait to unveil our new fall exhibitions this Friday October 16. Get more details when you head to burlingtoncityarts.org/events and we’ll see you for the Artist Reception on Friday at 5 pm!

BCA’s fall exhibitions are supported in part by the Maslow Family Foundation. Dark Botanica has support from , , and . Hospitality sponsors: , , and . Burlington City Arts is supported in part by & .

10/12/2026

👷Construct your perfect night on the town and join us for a screening of the next installment in the Architecture + Design Series, “Good Work: Masters of The Building Arts”! Meet us at Contois Auditorium on Wednesday, October 14 at 6:30 PM to catch it in on the big screen or join virtually via our link in bio! ⁠
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“Good Work” celebrates American craftsmanship and the unsung heroes – stone carvers, stained glass artisans, metalsmiths, plasterers, decorative painters, and the adobe workers – who create and preserve our country’s iconic buildings. Dive deep into the palpable passion, skills, and commitment of the men and women who work to bring enduring beauty to our built environment. ⁠
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Drop by from 6-6:30 PM to connect with community and grab some complimentary movie snacks from local favorites , , , and a cash bar by . ⁠
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🔗Get more details at burlingtoncityarts.org/events and we’ll see you at Contois on Wednesday for the best movie night in town! ⁠
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The Architecture + Design Film Series is presented by: , , and . With support from: 05401, AIAVT Emerging Professionals, Artisan Engineering, , , Office Environments, , , , , , Selin + Selin, , , UVM Department of Art & Art History, Vermont Eco-Floors, , , , , Jim Williams A+D, , Hinterland Studio, , , , and .

10/08/2026

🍎Calling all local educators! You’re invited to Teacher’s Night Out at the BCA Center on Friday, October 16 from 4-5 PM.

Join us for a relaxed social hour and a special sneak peek of our new fall exhibitions “Dark Botanica”, “Taken to Heart: Kathleen Schneider”, and “Forms of Connection: Trystan Bates” before they open to the public at 5 PM. Come enjoy light bites and beverages with our exhibition and education teams and discover behind-the-scenes insights about featured artworks. Teachers in training and family members of educators are welcome to join!

🔗Make your way to burlingtoncityarts.org/events to learn more about our upcoming fall exhibitions and we can’t wait to welcome you for the artist reception on 10/16!

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BCA’s fall exhibitions are supported in part by the Maslow Family Foundation. Dark Botanica has support from , , and . Hospitality sponsors: , , and . Burlington City Arts is supported in part by & .

10/07/2026

✨️Get ready to fall for a new season of exhibitions! Save-the-date for Friday, October 16 when we unveil “Dark Botanica”, “Taken to Heart: Kathleen Schneider”, and “Forms of Connection: Trystan Bates” with an artist reception at the BCA Center!

On the first floor, “Dark Botanica,” explores how contemporary artists are reimagining the symbolism of flowers and plants, traditionally associated in art history with beauty, fragility, and romance. Featured artists, Alina Bliumis, Cameron Davis, Dylan Griffin, Marcie Scudder, Megan Bogonovich, Sian Fan, and Sage Tucker-Ketcham dig into darker associations, working across a wide range of media to present botanical forms that mutate, bloom from darkness, or emerge as surreal hybrids that straddle the boundaries between natural and artificial.

Upstairs in the Roth Gallery, Kathleen Schneider creates sculptures, textiles, and prints that are “labors of love” in “Taken to Heart.” Exploring the relationship between personal experience and larger social movements, the artist considers how the current political landscape impacts our lives and communities.

Across the hall, “Forms of Connection” features Trystan Bates’ vibrant, geometric prints that use storytelling, social interaction, and ritual as frameworks for understanding our shared experience.

🎉Join us at the BCA Center next Friday October 16 from 5-7 PM when we celebrate the opening of our fall exhibitions! Get more details on our upcoming fall exhibitions when you head to burlingtoncityarts.org/events.

BCA’s fall exhibitions are supported in part by the Maslow Family Foundation. Dark Botanica has support from , , and . Hospitality sponsors: , , and . Burlington City Arts is supported in part by & .

10/05/2026

School’s (almost) out! Looking for childcare coverage that creatively engages your young artists? BCA’s got you covered with our School Break Workshops that provide the camp experience kids love in a one-day format. Check out our upcoming workshops on October 22 & 23 below and register! ⁠
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🍁 Get ready for hands-on play in the BCA clay studio with Clay Creations! Students will learn to sculpt fun and functional art through hand building and to use a variety of decorative techniques to make their creations unique! ⁠
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🍁 Ready to embrace spooky season? Check out “Glow-in-the-dark screenprint” where students will develop their own far-out or supernatural drawings and designs to make custom screenprints. ⁠
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🍁 Explore the world of “Printmaking” using professional tools to create a variety of one-of-a-kind prints on cards, posters, and a tote bag to show off! ⁠
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🍁 Discover the fun of “DIY Crafts and Accessories” with art-making techniques like hand-printing, beading and polymer clay jewelry, fabric dyeing, and hand sewing to create pencil pouches, custom keychains, and more! ⁠
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🔗 Head to bit.ly/schoolbreakworkshops to learn more about our School Break Workshops and get registered before spots fill up!

📸: Michelle Ramirez

10/02/2026

✈️On your next journey out of Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, make some time to stretch your legs and take in some new artwork that has just landed. After spending many years working with stained glass, Amy Jelen began experimenting with paper as a medium to create collage work that mimics her stained-glass style through a shared method of utilizing tiny pieces to create larger scenes.

Drawing on inspiration by the colors and textures the artist sees in the natural world, Jelen uses paper from the pages of magazines to create abstract pieces, imagined landscapes, and recognizable Vermont scenes. Through her work the artist seeks to connect with community, stir a feeling in the viewer, and create works that communicate serenity and quiet the mind.

Head to burlingtoncityarts.org/external-exhibitions to learn more about all of the BCA External Exhibitions you can find around town!

Amy Jelen, “Echinacea Blooms”, 2026
Amy Jelen, “Moving Through It”, 2026
Amy Jelen, “Echinacea In Bloom”,2026
Amy Jelen, “Farmland”, 2026

09/30/2026

✂️Make the cut before “Barbershop: The Art of Q***r Failure” takes a final bow for the closing performance at the BCA Center on Saturday, October 3 from 4-6 pm! ⁠
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Come see what the buzz is all about! This interactive installation by Ace Lehner reimagines the traditional barbershop as a q***r community space. Lehner, who is not trained as a barber, offers haircuts to the public in return for a commitment to engage in an act of q***r world building before their hair grows out. The artist suggests that failing to uphold the status quo opens up more creative ways of thinking and existing in the world. At “Barbershop,” failure is not about falling short – it is about making room for possibilities. ⁠
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The barber will be in on Thursday, October 1 from 12-4 pm to talk with visitors and returns on Saturday, October 3, from 4-6 pm for the closing performance. ⁠
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Swing by the gallery for the final days of this special pop-up exhibition: ⁠
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💈Thursday, October 1, 12-4 PM : Artist on-site to talk to visitors ⁠
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💈Friday, October 2, 5-7 PM : Art Amplified with .csv ⁠
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💈Saturday, October 3, 4-6 PM : Closing performance ⁠
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🔗Don’t miss this sheer delight before it fades away on October 3 and head to burlingtoncityarts.org/exhibition/barbershop-art-q***r-failure for more details on this captivating exhibition.

📸: Michelle Ramirez

BCA’s fall exhibitions are supported in part by the Maslow Family Foundation. Hospitality sponsors: , , and . Burlington City Arts is supported in part by & .

09/28/2026

🔊Turn up the volume! Art Amplified returns on Friday, October 2 from 5-8 PM at the BCA Center.

Come crank the creativity with us when we bring the party to the gallery. Experience the BCA Center in a whole new way, with DJs, vibrant lights, and immaculate vibes! And with Ace Lehner's “Barbershop: The Art of Q***r Failure,” transforming the gallery into a space that recalls a traditional barbershop through a q***r aesthetic lens, with glitter curtains, pompoms, tinfoil, faux fur, sequins, and more, it’s the perfect place to vibe out with your friends and neighbors.

🎶We’re popping off the party at 5 PM with a bumping DJ set from .csv. Raised in Buffalo’s punk and hardcore underground scene and known for blending hypnotic rhythms and gritty textures into an immersive experience for bodies craving movement, you may be familiar with her Burlington-based party series, “Rhythm and Noise” or her other various projects where missandri makes it abundantly clear that music as a form of protest is the primary inspiration for her sound.

🔗Get amped and meet us at the BCA Center on Friday, October 2 from 5-8 PM, and head to burlingtoncityarts.org/events for more details.

Summer in the City is made possible in part thanks to Underwriters at the Pomerleau Family Foundation; Supporters , .are.myti, and ; and Community Partner . Sunday Classical has special support from the Concert Artists Fund of the .

09/25/2026

🖼️ Walking through downtown Burlington feels like stepping into an open-air art gallery, with vibrant artwork to be found everywhere you look. Join BCA for a free family-friendly, guided tour inspired by the public art around town on Saturday, October 3 with tours at 1PM and 2:30 PM!

✨️Come explore the Burlington through the public art that shapes its streets, parks, and gathering spaces. This guided walking tour highlights a selection of artworks throughout the downtown core, from contemporary sculptures inspired by Burlington’s natural and cultural history to works that invite us to think about the community, ecology, and the city’s changing landscape.

🔗 Make your way to our link in bio to register for our public art tours on Saturday, October 1 taking place at 1 PM and 2:30 PM. All ages are welcome and there is a suggested program contribution of $10/per participant for those who can give.

Lydia Kern, “Anthology”, 2025
Noa Younce, “Block by Block”, 2026
Wowhaus, “Magnus”, 2026
Christopher Kojzar, “Dance in Place”, 2025
Nancy Winship Milliken, “Lakebone”, 2026

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09/23/2026

💈Don’t miss the shear delight of “Barbershop: The Art of Q***r Failure,” when it opens at the BCA Center this Friday, September 25 from 5-7 PM!

This interactive installation by artist Ace Lehner reimagines the traditional barbershop as a q***r community space. The artist, who is not a trained barber, but has been cutting hair in community settings for years, will offer haircuts on a first-come, first served basis during performances. In return, participants will commit to engage in an act of q***r world-making before the cut grows out. In Lehner’s creative practice, q***r world-making is an exercise in creating intentional, safe spaces for community members, allies, and those who want to learn more.

The Barber is IN:

✂️ Friday, September 25, 5-7 PM : Opening reception and Artist performance

✂️ Thursday, October 1, 12-4 PM: Artist on site to talk to visitors

✂️ Saturday, October 3, 4-6 PM: Closing performance

Between performances, the exhibition will be open for regular gallery hours, Wed-Fri from 12-5 PM and Sat from 12-8 PM. Come see what the buzz is all about! Head to burlingtoncityarts.org/events to get more details and plan get in to the gallery to experience this special pop-up exhibition before it closes on October 3!

🔺Know Before You Go! Please note that the BCA Center elevator is out of service, and the second-floor bathrooms are accessible only by stairs. Accessible restrooms are available next door at City Hall.

BCA’s fall exhibitions are supported in part by the Maslow Family Foundation. Hospitality sponsors: , , and . Burlington City Arts is supported in part by & .

Ace Lehner, “Barbershop; The Art of Q***r Failure,” 2025

Address

135 Church Street
Burlington, VT
05401

Opening Hours

Tuesday	12pm - 5pm
Wednesday	12pm - 5pm
Thursday	12pm - 5pm
Friday	12pm - 8pm
Saturday	12pm - 8pm

Telephone

+18028657554

Website

http://www.burlingtoncityarts.org/

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