Learn About Art

The Columbus Museum of Art offers a wide variety of programs for adult audiences of any experience level. Programs enhance visitors' appreciation of special exhibitions, particular artists, or art movements as well as the Museum's permanent collection. Introductory lecture series are excellent starter programs for those new to the art museum experience. Keep checking the Museum Members Magazine and this Website for updated program schedules. Ongoing public programs include:

The Contemporaries

Membership in The Contemporaries gives you exclusive access to the world of contemporary art through our Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art, including trips to international art fairs, private receptions with artists, and monthly educational programs. This group supports the awareness, appreciation, and acquisition of contemporary art and photography in our community.

As a member of The Contemporaries, you will visit the studios of prominent artists, speak one-on-one with curators and gallery owners and take behind-the-scenes tours of museum and private contemporary art collections. Members also receive personal collecting advice from CMA curators and participate in the selection of works for the Museum's permanent collection through an annual vote.

The Contemporaries is open to all CMA members at the Reciprocal level or higher. Annual dues to join The Contemporaries are $500 per person or $250 per person if under the age of forty. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed. For more information, please call Adam Burk at 614.629.0351.

Art Book Club

Focusing on fiction and non-fiction books that feature art and artists as central story elements, each of these programs includes a presentation by Executive Director Nannette Maciejunes, followed by refreshments and casual group discussion. The Art Book Club is presented on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons, four times annually. Admission is free for Museum members, $5 for nonmembers.

Upcoming Art Book Club Programs

Caravaggio: Painter of Miracles by Francine Prose
Thursday, January 19 – 7 to 8:30 pm
Sunday, January 22 – 2 to 4 pm

Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel by Susan Vreeland
Thursday, April 12 – 7 to 8:30 pm
Sunday, April 15 – 2 to 4 pm
(Susan Vreeland will be joining the discussion via Skype)
 
Book TBD
Thursday, July 19 – 7 to 8:30 pm
Sunday, July 22 – 2 to 4 pm
 
Book TBD
Sunday, October 18 – 7 to 8:30 pm
Thursday, October 21 – 2 to 4 pm

The Big Picture

This lecture series is a collaboration between the Columbus Museum of Art and the Institute for Collaborative Research and Public Humanities at The Ohio State University. Presented by faculty from Ohio State and other area colleges and universities in conjunction with the Museum's temporary exhibitions, the lectures expand the contexts for understanding those exhibitions. The annual series roughly follows the OSU academic schedule. Each lecture is free and is followed by a reception.

Artists' Talks

These programs offer remarkable opportunities to hear from the artists themselves. What are their processes? What inspires them? What do they hope audiences take away from their works? These creative personalities will answer these questions and give us a picture of the innovative work being done at the forefront of each of their fields. Recent presenters have included Aminah Robinson, William Wegman, Kehinde Wiley, Tony Mendoza, Rachel Harrison, and Evan Penny.

Art of Concern Symposium

This annual symposium, inspired by the Museum's acquisition of the Schiller collection of American social commentary art, attracts top scholars from around the country. Each year the symposium focuses on a particular theme. Previous symposia have addressed:

• The Art of Concern, those American Scene painters whose works addressed issues of social concern in the first half of the twentieth century

• Art as Intervention, the power of art to act as an intervention into social, political, and cultural arenas

• Art on The Dark Side, an exploration of the styles and themes of the gothic

• Art Under Surveillance, the ways in which the visual arts confront or collude with surveillance

Lectures

The Columbus Museum of Art presents talks by prominent scholars and creative people throughout the year. Information on upcoming lectures is provided in the CMA Members Magazine and CMA online calendar.

Speaker's Bureau

Are you searching for a dynamic presentation on art for your employees, senior center, community, church or social group? Bring the Columbus Museum of Art to your doorstep with a presentation by the Speaker’s Bureau of CMA. Download the brochure to learn more or call 614-629-0395.

Art Challenges

Sundays 1:00-3:00 pm
Visit the Art Challenges station in the galleries to participate in exciting, competitive games that highlight a CMA artwork or collection. Compete against friends or family members, or challenge the scores posted by other visitors. Prizes are part of the fun, and one winner will earn a CMA gift certificate!

Walk-In Tours

Public tours for visitors are offered Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Sundays at 1 pm. Tours leave from the Museum Drive Lobby and are free with admission. Check the calendar for daily topics.

Franklin County Courthouse Self-Guided Tours

See ten striking, contemporary works of art on display in public spaces at the Franklin County Courthouse and Dorian Commons. Download and print our Franklin County Courthouse Self-Guided Tour sheet for details and Guide-By-Cell information.

One Work One Hour

One Work One Hour is a volunteer-led investigation of a single work of art that takes place over the course of one hour.  Dive deep into the history and culture of a CMA favorite during this in-depth discussion while making meaningful connections to what’s going on in the world today.  Check the calendar for dates and topics.

Drawing in the Galleries

Experience CMA in a new way and see art from a different perspective. Join us and explore the basic elements of drawing while also developing observational skills and an appreciation for the artistic process. You will learn as much about seeing as about drawing Recommended for visitors age thirteen and older. Cost is $10 for nonmembers with a special member price of $4. Check the calendar for dates.

CMA Game Show

Move over Bob Barker... here comes Susie Starliner! Come to the CMA Game Show to laugh at the amusing antics by the Game Show hosts, see creative challenges in action, and cheer for your favorite contestants. You may even be chosen from the audience to compete in fun games and win cool prizes. A cash bar and light snacks are included. Cost is $10 or $5 for members. Check the calendar for dates and more information.