2026 national mgc community print studio exhibition
Apr 23, 2026 9:00 AM
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Apr 23, 2026
On view now through April 23
Exhibitions are a cornerstone of MGC Community Print Studio’s programming, which aims to provide access and visibility to artists working in a broad range of printmaking processes. Building on MGC’s legacy as a vital home for prints since 1986, we are excited that this will be our first open call print exhibition in our new home in Powerhouse Arts (PHA) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Coinciding with PHA’s second annual Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, MGC is pleased to announce our 2026 National Print Exhibition, a juried competition and exhibition devoted to fine art prints, which will be part of a series of events celebrating the 40th anniversary of MGC’s founding. The open call exhibition is juried by Ann Shafer and Diya Vij.
Ann Shafer is an independent curator, art historian, and a leading expert on intaglio printmaking by Stanley William Hayter and Atelier 17. Formerly Shafer was associate curator of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Baltimore Museum of Art, where she curated a variety of exhibitions and hosted myriad classes and visitors. She also organized the museum’s Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair in 2012, 2015, and 2017, featuring an international array of twenty presses, publishers, and dealers. In April 2022, she mounted a new, independent print fair in Baltimore, and in 2025, she consulted Powerhouse Arts on its inaugural Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair. She hosts the podcast Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem and writes a blog about favorite works of art (annshafer.com). Shafer has a BA from The College of Wooster and a MA from Williams College, both in art history. In addition to the BMA, Ann has worked at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Williams College Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Art.
Diya Vij is the Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and is committed to critically investigating the evolving role of art in politics and civic life. Most recently, she served as the Curator at Creative Time where she commissioned and stewarded large-scale public art work, launched the public programming space CTHQ, re-launched the Creative Time Summit, and initiated the R&D Fellowship for socially engaged artists. Over the past decade, she has held programming, curatorial, and communications positions at major New York City Institutions. As the Associate Curator of Public Programs at the High Line, she organized dozens of live events and performances with artists, activists, practitioners, and healers. At the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Vij launched and co-directed the Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program. Additionally, she helped lead the Agency’s citywide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative, and played an active role in public monument efforts, as well as CreateNYC—New York City’s first strategic long-term plan for culture. She was a curatorial fellow and the communications manager at the Queens Museum from 2010–2014. She currently serves on the Boards of A Blade of Grass, the Laundromat Project and the Poetry Project and was co-curator of the Counterpublic Triennial 2023 in St. Louis, MO.
more at PHA
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Art Where You Are: NYCHA Gowanus Houses
In celebration of Powerhouse Arts’ first major public exhibition, The Ark, we invite our neighbors to join us at the NYCHA Gowanus Houses picnic area along Hoyt St. to create animal puppets! Using repurposed materials and everyday objects, participants will explore how to design and animate expressive puppets through hands-on making and play.
Art Where You Are: Old Stone House
In celebration of Powerhouse Arts’ first major public exhibition, The Ark, come by the Old Stone House to create pocket-sized animal sculptures inspired by the critters found at J.J. Byrne Playground, Old Stone House, and Washington Park! With support from Powerhouse Arts staff, participants are invited to sculpt, craft, and experiment as they bring caterpillars, ladybugs, and other tiny creatures to life.
Art Where You Are: Red Hook Art Project
Powerhouse Arts is joining the Red Hook Art Project for the launch of their exhibition I Am Not Broken, honoring Juneteenth and celebrating Black excellence, community, resilience, and strength. With support from Powerhouse Arts staff, participants will be guided through button-making and creative self-portrait activities that encourage expressions of identity, culture, and community pride.
Crafternoon: Relief Carving & Animal Imagery
Crafternoons are a series of free, drop-in art workshops for families, kids, and neighbors of all ages. Each month, we’ll roll up our sleeves and dive into fun, hands-on animal creations inspired by our first major public exhibition, The Ark.
Crafternoon: Sculptural Critters in Clay & Cardboard
Crafternoons are a series of free, drop-in art workshops for families, kids, and neighbors of all ages. Each month, we’ll roll up our sleeves and dive into fun, hands-on animal creations inspired by our first major public exhibition, The Ark.
Crafternoon: Pop-Up Paper Cats & Creatures
Crafternoons are a series of free, drop-in art workshops for families, kids, and neighbors of all ages. Each month, we’ll roll up our sleeves and dive into fun, hands-on animal creations inspired by our first major public exhibition, The Ark.
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