New Bedford Art Museum

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608 Pleasant St
New Bedford, MA 02740 United States Get Directions
(508) 961-3072
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CALL FOR ART- Shape Of Who We Are: Exploring Identity

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

Is Identity something to protect and preserve, or does it push us to seek recognition beyond ourselves? The New Bedford Art Museum presents The Shape of Who We Are: Exploring Identity, a juried exhibition of works investigating origins, extinction, tradition, and transformation—a reflection of who we are and who we may become. Works may be any medium. The Shape of Who We Are is the second annual call for art of the New Bedford Art Museum's annual juried exhibition series and is open to artists internationally. ABOUT THE JUROR Marcelle Joseph is an American independent curator and collector based in the United Kingdom. Since 2011, Joseph has produced and curated over 50 exhibitions in the UK and the rest of Europe, featuring the work of over 300 international artists. Joseph holds an MA in Art History with Distinction from Birkbeck, University of London with a specialization in feminist art practice. Her curatorial work focuses on gender and the performative construction of identity. Joseph is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Mimosa House in London and an Ambassador of the Royal Academy Schools in London. She served as a trustee of Matt's Gallery in London from 2018-2022 and […]

$5 – $40

Best of SouthCoast Artists

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

For centuries, the creative energy of SouthCoast artists has been fired by a rich combination of the natural beauty of the land, sea, and sky, by the taste and prosperity of generations of patrons and collectors, by the manifold cultural inspirations of successive waves of immigrants and an enduring Indigenous community, and by the artists themselves by force of their collaboration and community. Best of SouthCoast brings together the works of 75 artists working in a wide array of media and forms over a span of hundreds of years. The New Bedford Art Museum is proud to mark its 30th year with a show that is both an investigation of the diverse visual art produced locally and a celebration of the artists who have made this work. We invite you to come in, trust your eyes and your ideas, and discover the common threads and the unique visions that join and distinguish these artists. Welcome.

$7 – $10
Event Series Figure Drawing Open Studio

Figure Drawing Open Studio

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

Drawing from a live model has been an important part of many formal artistic practices since the Renaissance. Our open figure drawing studio is intended to provide artists of all levels a relaxed environment and a dedicated space where they are able to continue the tradition of working from a live nude model. Sessions are three hours long, and will start with a series of short gestures and ranging from 5-10 minutes before moving into longer 30 minute poses. Each class typically concludes with an hour long pose. There will be no formal instruction during the class; artists are encouraged to work from the model independently, in any medium they wish to bring.

$20
Event Series Plein Air Painting Workshop: Bridging Tradition and Contemporary Approaches

Plein Air Painting Workshop: Bridging Tradition and Contemporary Approaches

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

Level: Intermediate to Advanced (Some painting experience recommended, but not required.) Location: On-site (various local outdoor locations) (Tentative Rain Dates: Saturday, June 28 - Sunday, June 29) Join us for an immersive two-day plein air painting workshop where the beauty of the natural landscape becomes your studio. This workshop blends traditional plein air painting techniques with innovative contemporary methods, offering artists a unique opportunity to expand their artistic approach and cultivate a deeper visual connection with the natural world. Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, you’ll explore: -Classical Techniques including composition, color, atmospheric perspective, and brushwork inspired by 19th-century masters. -Contemporary practices such as expressive mark-making, and abstract simplification. -On-location fundamentals like selecting a compelling subject, adapting to changing light, and the challenge of painting in the natural elements. Each day includes on-site demonstrations, personalized instruction, and individual feedback; with plenty of time to paint independently. Whether you’re looking to refine your technical skills, or push the boundaries of your current practice, this workshop offers a dynamic environment for creative growth. Supplies not included. A recommended materials list and plein-air locations will be available after enrollment. *Class will break halfway for a 30 minute lunch.*

$225 – $250
Event Series Plein Air Painting Workshop: Bridging Tradition and Contemporary Approaches

Plein Air Painting Workshop: Bridging Tradition and Contemporary Approaches

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

Level: Intermediate to Advanced (Some painting experience recommended, but not required.) Location: On-site (various local outdoor locations) (Tentative Rain Dates: Saturday, June 28 - Sunday, June 29) Join us for an immersive two-day plein air painting workshop where the beauty of the natural landscape becomes your studio. This workshop blends traditional plein air painting techniques with innovative contemporary methods, offering artists a unique opportunity to expand their artistic approach and cultivate a deeper visual connection with the natural world. Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, you’ll explore: -Classical Techniques including composition, color, atmospheric perspective, and brushwork inspired by 19th-century masters. -Contemporary practices such as expressive mark-making, and abstract simplification. -On-location fundamentals like selecting a compelling subject, adapting to changing light, and the challenge of painting in the natural elements. Each day includes on-site demonstrations, personalized instruction, and individual feedback; with plenty of time to paint independently. Whether you’re looking to refine your technical skills, or push the boundaries of your current practice, this workshop offers a dynamic environment for creative growth. Supplies not included. A recommended materials list and plein-air locations will be available after enrollment. *Class will break halfway for a 30 minute lunch.*

$225 – $250
Event Series Summer Art Program

Summer Art Program

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

RUNS WEEKLY 9AM - 3PM START WEEK: June 16 - June 20 FINAL WEEK: August 25 - August 29 1st - 6th Grade Students Join us for our Summer Art Program at the New Bedford Art Museum! Bring your lunch and immerse yourself in the world of art. Explore various medias including painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, and wheel throwing! Make new friends while having fun creating beautiful artworks to take home and share with your family.

$315.00 – $350.00

Clay Creations

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

June 23 - June 27 9:30am - 3:00pm Bring a Lunch This week young artists will explore the world of hand-built ceramics through sculpting, shaping, and modeling with clay. Students will learn essential clay techniques like pinching, coiling, slab building, and joining, while creating both functional and whimsical pieces inspired by nature, animals, and everyday objects. Each day focuses on a new technique and theme, encouraging children to get their hands dirty while gaining confidence with the material. The class also covers surface design, texture tools, and how to decorate with underglaze or paint once pieces are dry. Whether they’re building a tiny village or a clay self-portrait, kids will leave with unique works of art and a strong foundation in three-dimensional thinking and making.

$315.00 – $350.00
Event Series Sketchbook Club

Sketchbook Club

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

Every Other Friday | 6:00–8:00 PM Upcoming: June 13 Tickets: $10 Whether you use your sketchbook to creatively brainstorm a work project, capture daily observations, imagine a fantasy world, or just mindfully doodle, it can be a unique record of your day or your life. Join other sketchers at our informal gathering, led by local artist and illustrator Isiah Botelho. Each session will kick off with a prompt to inspire discussion and drawing, and participants will be able to share their work comfortably. Bring your sketchbook and preferred materials; we will have some basic supplies available. No pressure, no judgment, no guilt -- just community.

$10
Event Series Summer Art Program

Summer Art Program

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

RUNS WEEKLY 9AM - 3PM START WEEK: June 16 - June 20 FINAL WEEK: August 25 - August 29 1st - 6th Grade Students Join us for our Summer Art Program at the New Bedford Art Museum! Bring your lunch and immerse yourself in the world of art. Explore various medias including painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, and wheel throwing! Make new friends while having fun creating beautiful artworks to take home and share with your family.

$315.00 – $350.00
Event Series Clay Creations

Clay Creations

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

June 30 - July 3 9:30am - 3:00pm Ages 12+ This week young artists will explore the world of hand-built ceramics through sculpting, shaping, and modeling with clay. Students will learn essential clay techniques like pinching, coiling, slab building, and joining, while creating both functional and whimsical pieces inspired by nature, animals, and everyday objects. Each day focuses on a new technique and theme, encouraging children to get their hands dirty while gaining confidence with the material. The class also covers surface design, texture tools, and how to decorate with underglaze or paint once pieces are dry. Whether they’re building a tiny village or a clay self-portrait, kids will leave with unique works of art and a strong foundation in three dimensional thinking and making.

$252.00 – $280.00

Event Series Clay Creations

Clay Creations

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

June 30 - July 3 9:30am - 3:00pm Ages 12+ This week young artists will explore the world of hand-built ceramics through sculpting, shaping, and modeling with clay. Students will learn essential clay techniques like pinching, coiling, slab building, and joining, while creating both functional and whimsical pieces inspired by nature, animals, and everyday objects. Each day focuses on a new technique and theme, encouraging children to get their hands dirty while gaining confidence with the material. The class also covers surface design, texture tools, and how to decorate with underglaze or paint once pieces are dry. Whether they’re building a tiny village or a clay self-portrait, kids will leave with unique works of art and a strong foundation in three dimensional thinking and making.

$252.00 – $280.00
Event Series Clay Creations

Clay Creations

New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA, United States

June 30 - July 3 9:30am - 3:00pm Ages 12+ This week young artists will explore the world of hand-built ceramics through sculpting, shaping, and modeling with clay. Students will learn essential clay techniques like pinching, coiling, slab building, and joining, while creating both functional and whimsical pieces inspired by nature, animals, and everyday objects. Each day focuses on a new technique and theme, encouraging children to get their hands dirty while gaining confidence with the material. The class also covers surface design, texture tools, and how to decorate with underglaze or paint once pieces are dry. Whether they’re building a tiny village or a clay self-portrait, kids will leave with unique works of art and a strong foundation in three dimensional thinking and making.

$252.00 – $280.00