MoCA CT

MLK Day - Freedom of Creativity Camp
2026-01-19 09:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Register here: $75.00
9:30 AM-12
Ages 6-9

Celebrate the impact + legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through art, imagination, and self-expression! Young artists will explore the theme of “Freedom of Creativity” in a morning of fun, hands-on art making inspired by Dr. King’s message of hope, equality, and courage. Guided by teaching artist Miss Erika, campers will paint, draw, and build colorful works that celebrate their unique voices and visions—all inside the inspiring galleries of MoCACT.
Please bring a nut-free snack and water bottle.
All art materials will be provided.

Paint Your Dreams-A Mixed Media Adventure with Peri Pfenninger
2026-01-17 13:00 - 16:00
Register here: $30.00 per teen
Join us for an exciting art-making adventure where teens will have the chance to express their dreams, wishes, and memories through mixed media, abstraction, surrealism, poetry, creative writing, and intuitive expression. Led by fine artist Peri Pfenninger, this immersive class is designed to spark creativity and self-expression in a fun and supportive environment.
Students will explore a personal dream or goal, drawing inspiration from their own experiences.

Community Conversation: Luciana McClure Lewis on The Language of Feminist Resistance
2026-01-08 18:00 - 19:00
Register here: $10 general, $8 seniors + students, free for members
What does resistance look like in art?
Join us for an exploration of The Language of Feminist Resistance, an informal gallery talk unpacking the power, nuance, and defiance behind the exhibition Enough Already: Women Artists from the Sara M. And Michelle Vance Waddell Collection. Whether or not these women artists identified as feminists, these artists challenged dominant narratives, subverted expectations, and carved out space for new ways of thinking about what it means to be a woman in the world.
Through themes of the body, domesticity, and quiet refusal, we’ll examine how art becomes a tool of resistance, and why this language still speaks urgently today.
Luciana McClure Lewis’ Bio:
Luciana McClure Lewis is a Visiting Instructor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at University of Connecticut (UConn) in the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry. She is also the lead founder and organizer of the Feminist collective Nasty Women Connecticut. She received her master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University’s department of Women’s and Gender Studies (SCSU), and her bachelor’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in Studio Art with a concentration in Photography. She is past recipient of awards from the Connecticut Office of the Arts and the Arts Council of the Greater New Haven. She recently chaired a day-long symposium during College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference under The Feminist Art Project, titled: A New Era: Art, Activism and Abortion in Post Roe America.

MoCACT Presents: Emmet Cohen Trio
2025-12-11 19:00 - 20:30
Emmet Cohen is one of today’s most exciting jazz pianists, celebrated for his charisma, masterful playing, and the way he draws audiences into every note. A rising star who has already played the world’s great stages, Cohen brings a fresh, modern spark to the jazz tradition—making his concerts as thrilling for first-time listeners as they are for lifelong fans.
Appearing with the acclaimed Emmet Cohen Trio, he delivers a performance full of energy, soul, and playful improvisation. Known for their remarkable chemistry and engaging sound, the Trio brings the piano, bass, and drums to life in ways that are both powerful and joyful. Don’t miss this chance to experience live jazz at its very best—reserve your seats now for an unforgettable night of music.
“…supremely gifted and impassioned artist of the highest order.” – All About Jazz
MoCACT members receive 10% off tickets.
General Admission: $75
Senior: $65
Student: $50
Tickets Here.

Patina Play - Artisan Jewelry Workshop with Alison Lee
2025-12-11 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-11-20 18:00 - 20:00
Register here: $60.00 Materials included
BYOB and Snacks
Adult Class
Join Alison Lee of CRAFTCAST for a fun and creative social event exploring the possibilities and unique results by applying simple patinas on metal cuffs and bracelets.
Create your unique piece of modern jewelry where alchemic color possibilities span from brilliant turquoise to burnt umber and everything in between. Learn how to add further surface embellishments of metallic leaf, embossing powders, and a “secret sauce” to create a stunning one-of-a-kind piece.
You will leave with a finished, artisan bracelet to wear or give as a special gift!

Baroque Portrait Photography Adult Workshop with Lewis Derogene
2025-12-06 15:00 - 17:00
Register here: $20
Back by popular demand, the Baroque photography workshop, led by artist and photographer Lewis Dérogène brings you Baroque Photography Workshop.
As part of the Lunch + Learn series at MoCACT, this workshop invites participants to not only bring their own lunch but to also bring their own camera or phone to capture beautiful moments of creativity.
In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore how to channel the elegance and drama of Baroque paintings into their own photography.
The workshop will begin with a brief overview of photographers whose works are inspired by the baroque and rococo period. Then participants will choose an image from a selection of provided printouts showing works by Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Vermeer, Anthony Van Dyck and more to recreate for their own individual project. They will create their set up with various choices for backdrops and adjust their subject whether still life or portrait and fix the lighting to give them their desired mood and aesthetic. Once everyone has created their pastiche of a classical painting, they will then collaborate to create two photographs, one still life and one figurative.
Bring your camerasmartphone, props, fabricbackdrops + a friend! You’ll learn how to set up lighting and backdrops, use fabric and props to build a scene, and frame portraits and still-lifes that feel both timeless and exciting.
At the end of class, participants will upload their top shots for a group critique. Images will be displayed on a large monitor for constructive feedback and shared inspiration.
Participants are encouraged to share their final portraits on Instagram and tag @MoCA_CT.
About the instructor
Lewis Dérogène, who also goes by her artistic moniker PhenomenaLewis, is an artist and photographer based in Stamford, CT. Her work has been featured in publications such as Culture Icon Zine, Populist Magazine, the April 2024 issue of Westport Lifestyle, and more. Most recently, she was a featured photographer in acclaimed Italian art critic Giorgio Bonomi’s fourth edition photography book, The Solitary Body, Il Corpo Solitario IV.
She has an MA in Fashion Art Direction at the Academy of Art University and holds a BFA in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts.
Inspired by the rich visual language of Baroque painting, Dérogène creates compelling portrait and self-portrait photographs that explore and challenge sociopolitical biases within the Black community.
You can view more of her work at www.phenomenalewis.com.

ART AT NOON: Encaustic and Collage with Leslie Giuliani
2025-12-04 12:00 - 14:00
Register here: $75.00 per adult
In this class, we’ll explore the ancient yet contemporary medium of Encaustic—beeswax-based paint that also serves as a versatile adhesive—to create unique collages. This technique is wonderfully flexible: if you’re not happy with an arrangement, simply re-melt and re-position. Participants will learn how to build richly layered artworks using Encaustic as “glue,” incorporating fabric, stencils, prints, personal drawings, even Spirograph designs! We’ll also experiment with laser copy transfers and direct drawing. No prior experience is necessary, and all materials are included.
Leslie Giuliani is an American contemporary artist whose work merges textiles, encaustic, oil painting, and printmaking. Born in Philadelphia, PA, she earned her BFA from the University of Delaware and continued her studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Her artwork is held in the collections of the Housatonic Museum of Art, the State of Connecticut, and numerous private collections. Giuliani has been awarded an Artist Fellowship Grant from the State of Connecticut for Craft as well as a residency fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center. She lives and works in Weston, CT.

Film Screening: A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot (2025)
2025-12-02 18:00 - 20:30
Register here: $10 general, $8 seniors + students, free for members
In conjunction with our fall + winter exhibition, Enough Already: Women Artists from the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection, join us for a special screening of A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot (2025), a 97 minute feature-length documentary directed by Annie Laurie Medonis.
This intimate film follows Selma Miriam and Noel Furie, two women who left their marriages, became life partners, and co-founded Bloodroot, a feminist bookstore and vegetarian restaurant in Bridgeport, Connecticut. For over forty years, they have nurtured a space for radical thinking, nourishing food, and community care.
This event is part of MoCACT’s ongoing exploration of feminist voices in art, culture, and community through Enough Already. We invite you to share in an evening of thoughtful storytelling and meaningful conversation.
Following the film screening will be a Q+A with Bloodroot co-founder, Noel Furie and the director of the documentary, Annie Laurie Medonis.
There will also be a book signing of Emily Larned’s 40 Years of Bloodroot: Our daily lives have to be a satisfaction in themselves—an award-winning book documenting the legendary feminist vegetarian restaurant and bookstore. The book comprises personal-political essays by founders Selma Miriam and Noel Furie and photographs by Noel.
Annie Laurie Medonis’ Bio:
Annie Laurie Medonis is an award-winning filmmaker whose work spans genres and subjects, from domestic violence to female athletes and cats. Her films, shown at festivals nationwide, aim to uplift and inspire through emotional storytelling. She believes in creating art that motivates others to act: “My intention is for people to be inspired and go out and create something for themselves.”
culinaryuprisingfilm.com
Noel Furie’s Bio:
Noel Furie is a pioneering feminist, photographer, and co-founder of Bloodroot, the 48-year-old radical lesbian vegan restaurant and bookstore in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Through photo essays and creative witnessing, she documented women’s lives, domestic spaces, and acts of resistance. Through her lens, she captured the women who gathered, worked, and visited Bloodroot, chronicling the evolution of feminist culture around them. Currently she is operating and working at Bloodroot and continuing to feed generations.
Bloodroot.com
Emily Larned’s Bio:
Emily Larned has been publishing as an artistic practice since 1993, when as a teenager she published her first zine. Through her imprint Alder & Frankia (est. 2016), she publishes new collaborations from feminist archives, including Our daily lives have to be a satisfaction in themselves: 40 years of Bloodroot, an AIGA 50 Books | 50 covers winner. Her current publication/exhibition from feminist archives, Workshopping at WSW, is installed at Women’s Studio Workshop (Rosendale, NY) through January 2026. She is an Associate Professor of Art in Graphic Design at the University of Connecticut.
emilylarned.com

Planet Female Global StoryFest
2025-11-22 18:00 - 22:00
Register here: $50 general, $40 seniors, $20 students
Connecticut’s female-centered story festival established in 2024, is thrilled to announce it’s second year of storytelling by creators from around the globe at MoCACT. The festival will feature short narrative, documentary, experimental films and series pilots form female and female-identifying creators, as well as spoken word poetry, music video, live narrative storytelling, and stage and screenplay readings. The “Best of Fest” awards will be presented after the final story block.

Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars – Film Screening & Expert Panel
2025-11-20 17:30 - 19:30
Join us for an inspiring evening dedicated to literacy, learning, and advocacy. This special event, hosted by MoCACT and supported by Bessemer Trust, features a screening of the acclaimed documentary Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars, followed by a dynamic panel discussion with leading voices in education and neurodiversity.
Through the lens of Hopeville, we’ll explore the urgent challenges facing literacy instruction in America and the innovative strategies that are helping students thrive. Whether you’re an educator, parent, policymaker, or advocate, this event offers powerful insights and practical tools to support every learner.
Admission is free, but registration is required. Reserve your spot here.
Event Highlights
• Screening of Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars• Live panel discussion with experts in education and learning differences• Audience Q&A• Light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres served before the screening

Featured Panelists
Jane B. Ross, Executive Director, Smart Kids with Learning DisabilitiesDr. Benjamin Powers, Head of School, The Southport SchoolJake Sussman, Founder & CEO, Superpower MentorsDr. John J. Russell, Associate Director, Haskins Global Literacy HubHarvey Hubbell V, Director & Producer, Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars

Ten-Minute Play Festival by A Chronicles
2025-11-19 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-11-19 14:00 - 15:30
A Chronicles Presents:
Winners of its Annual 10-Minute Play Festival
Visionary, Absurd, Heartbreaking.
Nine Playwrights on Reproductive Rights
November 19: 2-3:30 PM & 7-8:30 PM
MoCACT Members receive 10% off tickets
General Admission: $25
Student: $25
Tickets Here.

The 2025 Final Round of Heida Hermanns International Music Competition
2025-11-15 16:00 - 20:00
On November 15, 2025 starting at 4 PM, the final round of the Heida Hermanns International Music Competition will take place at MoCACT showcasing three exceptional pianists who advanced from a global preliminary round. Each finalist will perform a 45-minute program on MoCA’s Hamburg “D” Steinway, blending repertoire from three musical eras with a newly commissioned contemporary work by Timo Andres. This culminating event offers audiences an intimate opportunity to experience world-class artistry and witness the naming of the competition’s next prizewinner.
Register here.

Art Adventures
2025-11-15 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-11-08 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-11-01 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-10-25 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-10-18 12:00 - 13:30
Join our children’s drop-in art class at the museum, where young artists are encouraged to explore their creativity and express their unique ideas. Through fun, hands-on activities, children will build confidence, develop new art skills, and find inspiration in a supportive, nurturing environment.
Class Fee: $25
Register.

Saturday Studio Art with Ms. Sue!
2025-11-15 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-08 10:00 - 11:30
Saturday Studio Art with Ms. Sue!
This fall, young artists are invited to spend 4 fun Saturday mornings in our art studio and museum with Ms. Sue! From acrylic painting and watercolor fun to plein air sketching in our teaching garden, collage, and poster art, kids will explore exciting techniques while discovering a little art history too.
Register.
October 25, November 1, November 8, November 15

LUNCH & LEARN SERIES: Multi-Bowl Ceramic Noon Class with Leah Corbett
2025-11-14 12:00 - 14:00
Register here: $85.00
Adult workshop
“Multi-bowls” are beautiful and useful artisan pottery forms, and can be used as snack boards, jewelry catchers, air plant displays, or general organizers for keys & miscellaneous items. In this two-hour workshop, Leah will guide you through steps to pinch & smooth multiple bowl forms out of clay, attach them, and manipulate their shapes to fit your own creative style. We provide the clay, tools & glaze options. Get your hands a little dirty, choose your glaze, and then, once fired, come and pick up a beautiful and unique gift for a friend or yourself! This is a great intro to hand-building class that will take you far in the world of pottery.

Opening Reception: Enough Already
2025-11-13 18:00 - 20:00
Register Here: $10 general, $8 for seniors + students
Enough Already (formerly titled Riveting) was organized by the Dayton Art Institute and curated by Jerry Smith + Mariah Postlewait.
The MoCACT presentation is organized by the museum’s Arts Advisory Committee.
Enough Already presents extraordinary art by contemporary women artists drawn from the significant private collection of Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell. This bold exhibition expresses the collectors’ personal interest in finding emergent artistic voices and powerful artistic statements that speak to prominent social issues of the day, including those relating to LGBTQ+ communities and reproductive rights. All major mediums are included: paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photographs and textiles. Themes range from humorous and irreverent to thought-provoking.
The show will feature internationally recognized artists including Louise Bourgeois, Deborah Butterfield, Barbara Kruger, Ana Mendieta, Catherine Opie, Cindy Sherman, Lorna Simpson, Kiki Smith, Mickalene Thomas, and Carrie Mae Weems, featured alongside under-recognized artists. One of the highlights will be Carolee Schneemann’s Interior Scroll (1974/75), a groundbreaking achievement of feminist art that remains relevant and controversial to this day.
Sara Vance Waddell is a Cincinnati-based arts philanthropist and advertising media executive who has been consciously collecting feminist-leaning art over much of the past decade.
Programming Overview
To accompany the exhibition, MoCACT will host a series of special programs, including conversations, performances, and film screenings:

On the Art of Collecting with Sara Vance Waddell | Thursday, November 13, 4:30pm
Opening Reception | Thursday, November 13, 6–8pm
Storyfest: Short films + spoken word performances curated by Dusty McCullough | Saturday, November 22, 6pm
Film Screening: Bloodroot followed by Q+A with Anne Laurie Medonis and book signing with Emily Larned | Tuesday, December 2, 6pm
Adult art workshop: Encaustic collage with Leslie Giuliani – December 4, 12pm
Community Conversation: Gallery talk with Luciana McClure Lewis – January 8, 6pm
Teen art workshop: Mixed media with Peri Pfenninger – January 17, 1–4pm
Community Conversation: Gallery talk with Kathryn Turley-Sonne – January 29, 6pm
Film screening: Eva Hesse followed by a Q+A with Marcie Begleiter – February 6, 6pm

Note: This exhibition contains nude images and addresses sexual relations, reproductive rights and violence.

Collecting 601: A Case Study in Building a Collection
2025-11-13 16:30 - 18:00
MoCACT’s series ‘On the Art of Collecting’ continues with ‘Collecting 601: A Case Study in Building a Collection.’

Join us for an information packed session. This series is generously sponsored by Wealthspire Advisors.

November 13, 2025
4:30pm cocktails
5-6pm program

Register here

Sessions at MoCACT: Reflections by ECCB
2025-10-31 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-10-30 19:30 - 21:00
REFLECTIONS by East Coast Contemporary Ballet

Thursday, October 30 & Friday, October 31
7:30 pm

This mixed repertory program spotlights two premieres by director Claire Mazza and company artist Bret Coppa that introspectively delve into varying elements of human nature.
Prepare to be transported and delighted by enchanting music, dazzling costume engrossing choreography and exquisite dancers.

Tickets Here.

Docent-Led Exhibition Tour
2025-10-25 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-10-18 13:00 - 14:30
Learn more about the current exhibition from an expert docent. No advance registration required; all tours included in Museum admission. Remember, gallery admission is FREE for MoCA Members.

Performing Arts at MoCA: Caity Gyorgy (Jazz)
2025-10-19 16:00 - 17:30
Discover the thrill of live jazz at MoCACT with Caity Gyorgy, a three-time JUNO Award-winning vocalist and Jazz at Lincoln Center artist. Known for her dazzling bebop and swing, Gyorgy has lit up stages around the world — from Tokyo’s Cotton Club to Live From Emmett’s Place — and now she brings that same electric energy to Westport for one night only.
This is your chance to experience an international jazz sensation at the height of her career. With her 2025 JUNO-winning album Hello! How Are You? and her brand-new release Asking For Trouble, Caity delivers a performance that blends timeless swing with fresh originality. Seats are limited — secure your tickets today and be part of an unforgettable evening of world-class jazz at MoCACT.
MoCACT Members receive 10% discount
General Admission: $50
Senior/Student: $40
Purchase Tickets

Ceramic Artisan Multi-Bowl Class with Leah Corbett
2025-10-16 18:00 - 20:00
Register here: $85.00
Adult workshop
Spend a creative evening handcrafting your own artisan multi-bowl centerpiece with Fairfield-based ceramicist Leah Corbett. “Multi-bowls” are one of Leah’s most popular forms, and can be used as snack boards, jewelry catchers, air plant displays, or general organizers for keys & miscellaneous items. In this two-hour workshop, Leah will guide you through steps to pinch & smooth multiple bowl forms out of clay, attach them, and manipulate their shapes to fit your own creative style. We provide the clay, tools & glaze options. You get your hands a little dirty, choose your glaze, and then, once fired, come and pick up beautiful and unique gift a friend or yourself! This is a great intro to hand-building class that will take you far in the world of pottery.
