Friends of John Slade Ely House for Contemporary Art

05/02/2026

Introduction To Live Visuals

a hands-on workshop for real time video synthesis and video feedback
Led by Andrei Jay
Sunday, May 17 1-4pm

Learn the fundamentals of live performance through direct manipulation of video signals. In this 3 hour, hands-on workshop we will cover:

basic concepts of camera & framebuffer feedback

how to use analog and digital video mixers & processors

circuit bent and glitch video techniques

video oscillator systems

hardware and software video synthesis systems

reaction diffusion systems, nonlinear dynamics, and topics in generative art

Whether you are brand new to video art looking for a way in or an experienced veteran looking to fill in some gaps this class will have something for you. No prerequisites needed to have a good time!

Get tickets here: https://elycenter.org/introductiontolivevisuals

04/22/2026

Join us Sunday, April 26, 1–4 PM for the opening reception of our newest exhibitions. Free and open to all.

Featuring:

Where is the human in this place —curated by Maria Markham
Dark Dey — Mahsa Attaran
Centering — Matin Malikzada (live pottery wheel demo at 2:30 PM)
Portals of Holding — Asma Waheed
Chaos with a Side of Spaghetti — Project Space group show curated by Emily Weiskopf
Etched in the Ether — DIGITAL GRACE show curated by Alexzandria Robin

Spend the afternoon with us—see the work and meet the artists behind it.

03/21/2026

Open Call ends TOMORROW!

Apply now to have your work considered for 2026 programming.

Apply now! Submit your work for exhibition opportunities with ECOCA for 2023.

03/12/2026

UPDATE! Our open call deadline is extended to March 22! There is still time to apply to have your work in our galleries in 2026!

Apply now! Submit your work for exhibition opportunities with ECOCA for 2023.

02/04/2026

The ELY CENTER Open Call 2026 is live.

Applications are open January 8 – March 8, 2026.
Apply here: https://elycenter.org/open-call-2026

We’re excited to announce Larry Ossei-Mensah as our guest curator for Open Call 2026. Ossei-Mensah is a Ghanaian-American curator and cultural critic whose work amplifies diverse voices and connects contemporary art across global communities. His curatorial projects span major institutions and cities worldwide, including New York, London, São Paulo, and beyond.

Accessibility matters to us. No one will be denied the opportunity to apply due to financial hardship. If the $35 application fee is a barrier, please email [email protected]
with “Pay it Forward Fund Scholarship Request” in the subject line.

We look forward to seeing your work.

Apply now! Submit your work for exhibition opportunities with ECOCA for 2023.

02/04/2026

The Ely Center is pleased to present a group of four exhibitions on view from February 8- April 12, 2026 with an opening reception on Sunday, February 8, 1-3pm at the new location of 162 James Street, New Haven, CT. Together this group of exhibitions invite visitors to consider moments of transition not as rupture but as a space for connection.

Three solo shows by artists Diana Abouchacra, Lauren Flaaen and Dario Mohr, the Fall ’25 Keyhole Workspace cohort, use installation and transformed objects to examine how bodies, memories, and identities are mediated through structures that both protect and constrain.

Abouchacra’s What Remains Tied, Bound in Belonging offers an immersive installation on memory and care, combining sculptural “memory ties,” audio, and video to consider how belonging is formed over time.

Flaaen’s small tears, cuts and scribbles transforms domestic furniture into a bodily form, exploring vulnerability, protection, and transformation with her reupholstered couch installation.

In Ensconced, Mohr examines light, visibility, and power with illuminated glass cubes that frame Black male bodies in moments of concealment and revelation.

The use and transformation of fixtures, furniture, and unassuming kitchen materials creates an underlying theme of comfort, exposure, intimacy and power in the three artists’ exhibitions.

Intervals is a group exhibition presented by the volunteer artists and curators who comprise the Ely Center’s Curatorial and Program Advisory Committee. Reflecting on pauses, shifts, and in-between states, Intervals addresses moments of change—between places, roles, and aesthetics—while reinforcing long-term vision of inclusivity, diversity, and spaces built through collaboration.

08/25/2025

We’re Hiring!

Development & Communications Coordinator (Part-Time)

The Ely Center of Contemporary Art in New Haven, CT is looking for an enterprising professional to join our team this fall. This hybrid role combines fundraising, marketing, and communications — supporting our exhibitions and programs while cultivating community and philanthropic partnerships.

* Part-Time (~20 hours/week)
* October 2025 start date (trial period through Dec 31, 2025)
* Salary commensurate with experience

Deadline to apply: September 10, 2025

Learn more:

The Ely Center of Contemporary Art seeks an enterprising Development and Communications and Coordinator to augment our initiatives, serving as the primary liaison between the organization and our external community. This hands-on role combines marketing, PR and fundraising. The Communications and De...

08/22/2025

Please join us for the opening reception of Conceptual Romance on September 14, 1-3pm! There will be a curator walkthrough at 2pm. The Exhibition will be open from September 14 to November 2, 2025.
The Ely Center of Contemporary Art opens its fall season with Conceptual Romance, a group exhibition drawn from more than 600 submissions to its annual open call invitation to artists. Guest Curator: Jared Quinton, Emily Hall Tremaine Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT
Curator Jared Quinton says: “The 23 artists featured in Conceptual Romance create propositions that engage our intellects and emotions at the same time. Working from diverse perspectives across a range of disciplines, these artists share an understanding that art’s real meaning always exceeds articulation. They use materials, images, and formats that look and feel familiar, yet the works retain an air of mystery, seducing viewers into the realm between objects and ideas.”

07/18/2025

Paper Making Workshop w/ local illustrator Olivia Lynn
Sunday July 20, 1-3pm

Join us for this free, outdoor paper making workshop- an all ages drop in event! Get to learn Olivia’s process and make your own paper!