Rochester Contemporary Art Center

10/16/2026

Join us for an evening of film, conversation, and learning in support of immigrant communities. Tonight’s gathering is organized by Metro Justice and RoCo as part of the exhibition “Sanctuary: Borders and Belonging in 2026.”

6pm Screening of When They Come for Me: Hope And Fear For Immigrants In The Promised Land on a large projection screen in the main gallery followed with a q&a with Heidi Ostertag of Worldwide Documentaries

7pm Ice Breaker / Match Maker
Hear from local organizations who work to support immigrants in the Rochester area. Each organization will share its mission, current work, and ways you can get involved. Following these brief presentations, attendees are invited to connect with participating organizations and explore the full exhibition.

Presenting Organizations include:
> Alianza Agricola Alianza Agrícola
> Worker Justice Center of New York
> Metro Justice
> Rochester Rapid Response Network Roc Rapid Response Network
> Enlace
> Keeping Our Promise Keeping Our Promise Inc.
> Protect Irondequoit Neighbors Protect Irondequoit Neighbors
> New York Immigration Coalition

$2 / free for RoCo members, exhibiting artists and members of the presenting organizations. No one turned away for lack of funds. Light snacks and drinks availabl.e

10/15/2026

Announcing the COMP Studios Winter 2026 Residents! Moving in next week are two local artists, David Rose (David Rose Kunisch) and Ian Williams (Ian).

David Rose (he/they) is a first-generation American; his mother was born in Monterrey, Mexico. He has witnessed both ends of privilege and marginalization, designing nuanced advocacy in his practice. Rose focuses on storytelling through his artwork with the use of dramatic animals, dynamic figures, and expressive portraiture. During his residency, David will expand his ongoing “Ponies under Fascism” series through new paintings and a short film that use pastel ponies as autobiographical and political stand-ins, exploring identity, belonging, and the experience of being a transgender immigrant today.

Ian Williams (he/him) is an artist and maker living in Rochester, NY. After receiving a BFA in Sculpture from RISD in 2013, Ian worked as a bookbinder and exhibit fabricator. In 2016 he worked as a studio assistant to marble sculptor Dario Tazzioli in Modena, Italy, which sparked an interest in stone carving that led him to starting his traditional dry stone masonry business Lo Faro Stonework in 2021. While at COMP, Ian will work at an ambitious scale for the first time, creating a new series of acrylic paintings that expand the visual and conceptual investigations of his recent work.

David and Ian will share their exhibitions during an Opening Reception on First Friday, December 4 from 6-9pm, alongside our Members Exhibition! Open studio hours will continue on December 5 and 12 from 12-5pm.

10/15/2026

10/14/2026

6x6? In 2027? 

That’s right, it is never too early! We are looking forward to our annual 6x6 exhibition which will celebrate the 20th year for 6x6!

What is 6x6?
6x6 is a fundraiser and RoCo’s small art phenomenon, where thousands of artists; local, international, and you, donate 6 by 6 inch artworks, and we exhibit them in our annual showing. There are no juries, no entry fees, and anyone can enter in up to four artworks. It is a great way for people to connect, for families to celebrate creativity, and for artists to show their skill or experiment with something new. 

How you can participate:
- Create and enter up to 4 artworks
- Check that artwork is six square inches, and signed only on the back
- Put a wire on the back of any artworks thicker than 1/4” 
- Fill out an entry form for each artwork you plan to enter, artwork and entry form will be accepted together
- Deliver your works to RoCo until April 4, 2027 (or mail by April 7, 2027)

- Please don’t use any glitter or unfixed charcoal (it will not be accepted)
- Please don’t send us ai generated artworks 

Entries are accepted now through the beginning of April:
Walk -in Entries Due: April 4, 2027
Mail-in International Entries Due: April 1
Mail-in U.S. by April 7

Learn more at roco6x6.org

10/14/2026

“This is about people we all know, people we all care about. This is our effort as an organization to diversify the narrative and reclaim the narrative on behalf of folks who are very scared today” said Bleu Cease, executive director of the Rochester Contemporary Art Center. RoCo
 
“Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026” is on display at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center between Oct. 2 and Nov. 14.
 
Click the link in the bio to read more
 
Story by Kayla Canne kayla canne 
Video by Marili Vaca Marili Vaca 🇵🇷🇪🇨

10/13/2026

“Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026” includes a major community interview project documenting nearly 100 of our neighbors telling their immigration story. 

These interviews were conducted by local artists, videographers, and community activists and this post highlights some of the 13 videographers. Swipe through to hear their reflections on what it meant to participate in this project.  

These videographers deserve all our gratitude for their hard work creating this powerful archive.

And stay tuned for the upcoming post about more of the videographers later in the month!

The Community Interview Project will never appear online and will only be viewable at RoCo during normal gallery hours through November 14th.

Logan Brown

“I took a more spontaneous approach toward requesting my interviews. Asking folks I met for the first time, over dinner, at the coffee shop, in the park. Usually prompted by them sharing their story and where they’re from before I even thought to ask. By the end of this project, I became more solid in my belief that humans innately want to share their stories, especially when times are misleading. I want this exhibit to not only inform but challenge folks to be more vocal about their stories.” – L.B.

Elena Dilai

“It’s incredible how much heart someone can pack into just two minutes. Listening to these stories reminded me that behind every immigration journey is a person who had to leave something familiar behind and find a way to build a new sense of home. I was struck not only by the resilience it takes to start over, but also by how many people feel compelled to help those who come after them. I hope visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for the courage, generosity, and humanity woven into these experiences.” – E.D.

Kenny Carmona

“After years of working with migrants across New York State and beyond, it meant a great deal to help share their stories. I have listened to workers speak about the families they left behind, the hope that brought them here, and the injustices they endured because they needed to keep working and send money home. My heart breaks knowing that, after all they have sacrificed, so many now live in fear

10/12/2026

Meet your (advocacy) match!

Join us for an evening of film, conversation, and learning in supporting immigrant communities. The event is organized by RoCo and Metro Justice as part of the exhibition “Sanctuary: Borders and Belonging in 2026.”

6pm Screening and Q&A
Film screening of When They Come for Me: Hope And Fear For Immigrants In The Promised Land (short, Rochester edition) in the main gallery. Following the screening there will be a brief Q&A with the team from Worldwide Documentaries.

7pm Ice Breaker / Match Maker
Hear from the organizations supporting immigrant communities in the Rochester area. Each organization will share its mission, current work, and ways for volunteers to get involved. Following these brief presentations, attendees are invited to connect with participating organizations, find meaningful ways to help, and to explore the full exhibition. 

Presenting Organizations:
Alianza Agrícola
Enlace
Keeping Our Promise Inc.
Metro Justice
Roc Rapid Response Network
New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC)
Rochester DSA .. and more!

10/11/2026

First Friday, October 2 was the opening of “Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026”

RoCo was full of feelings of sadness and celebration. Visitors, artists and citizens talked together, shared their own personal immigration stories, and witnessed courage, rage, joy, and survivance. 

This exhibition is built on a few things:

- RoCo’s longstanding support for artists who engage our most pressing social & political questions. Within this current climate of censorship & fear, these artists, some at great personal or professional risk, use their practice to advocate for justice and human rights. 

- And empathy and solidarity guide these projects and the overall exhibition, because our freedom and safety are bound together!

Thanks to the many creatives, documentarians and activist who have helped to make this powerful exhibition possible. 

Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026 runs through Nov. 14 at Rochester Contemporary Art Center. 

Anaglog Anaglog, Pamela Araya Pamela Araya Illustrates, Pamela Dodds Pamela Dodds, Annette Dragon Annette Dragon, Jim Mott Jim Mott, Saman Oskouei and Sasan Oskouei Saman and Sasan Oskouei, Tom Policano, Julio Salgado Julio Salgado, Cher Valentino, Arleene Correa Valencia ARLEENE CORREA VALENCIA, Worldwide Documentaries Worldwide Documentaries, Logan Brown x.lbrown / UNtitled CReative, Kenny Carmona Kenny Carmona, Julie Chen Julie Chen, Elena Dilai Elena Olena, Julie Gelfand Julie Gelfand, Shokoofeh Jabbari Shokoofeh Jabbari, Mubaraka Mohammadi Mubaraka Mohammadi, Larry Moss Larry Moss, Henry Padron Hipocampo Children's Books, Irene Sanchez Irene, Emmely Texcucano, Rosa Vargas Rosa Vargas, F***y Venegas F***y Venegas

video by

10/10/2026

If you have ever wondered what goes on upstairs at RoCo, we have just the Saturday afternoon for you!

Come hear from current COMP studio artists, Eujin V Ra and Agam Neiman. Today at 1:00 pm Eujin and Agam will share more about their current exhibition on view, process, and backstory for an informal artist talk. Please arrive a few minutes early - seats are limited!  

Saturday, October 10 is also the last day to view Eujin and Agam’s work before the next COMP studios opening in December, when 2 new artists will be exhibiting in the studios.  

Open hours are 12pm-5pm. See you this afternoon!

10/09/2026

“Community Interview Project: The Immigrant Experience” part of our current exhibition “Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026” includes nearly 100 of our neighbors telling their immigration story. 

The interviews were conducted by thirteen videographers, local artists, and activists. They each selected their own interview participants resulting in an eclectic range of stories that give voice to the people most impacted by this issue. Interviews are presented anonymously. Each participant, whether a new resident or well-known community leader is positioned with their back to the camera, embodying the principle that none of us are free until all of us are free.

Plan to experience this video at the gallery because it will only be available for viewing at RoCo at two viewing/listening stations. It will never be shared online or elsewhere.

*in future social posts we will highlight the 13 videographers (tagged below) sharing their reflections about working on this powerful project. 

Logan Brown x.lbrown / UNtitled CReative
Kenny Carmona Kenny Carmona
Julie Chen Julie Chen
Elena Dilai Elena Olena
Julie Gelfand Julie Gelfand
Shokoofeh Jabbari Shokoofeh Jabbari
Mubaraka Mohammadi Mubaraka Mohammadi
Larry Moss Larry Moss
Henry Padron Hipocampo Children's Books
Irene Sanchez Irene
Emmely Texcucano
Rosa Vargas Rosa Vargas
F***y Venegas F***y Venegas