MoCA CT

Sound Bath Meditation with Hummingbird Healing Center - with Lisa Pak
2026-06-30 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Cost: $40.00/per person
Lisa’s unique immersive Sound Bath Meditations are multi-instrumental soundscapes designed to reset your nervous system.
*Please bring a yoga mat and pillow
– Register

A Journey Through Westport History: A Conversation with Author Bob Weingarten
2026-07-07 18:00 - 19:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
MoCACT and the Westport Book Shop invite Members and friends to an exclusive evening with author Bob Weingarten celebrating the publication of his new book, Westport, Connecticut: The Old and New Historical Accounts, 1639–2025.
Join us for A Journey Through Westport History: A Conversation with Author Bob Weingarten on Tuesday, July 7 from 6-7:30pm. In conjunction with the opening of our new exhibition, Looking for History, this special program offers Members and friends an opportunity to explore the stories that have shaped our community.
Enjoy a casual reception with wine, soft drinks, and light bites. Meet the author, have your copy signed, and enjoy sharing Westport memories with fellow community members.
Guests will also be among the first to purchase the book before it becomes available to the general public the following day.
Space is limited; please RSVP by July 1.
=> RESERVE
Sponsored By:
MoCACT
Jodi Felton, President
Robin Jaffee Frank, Executive Director
Westport Book Shop
Jocelyn Barandiaran, President
Katherine Caro, Manager

Art Adventures
2026-07-11 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-07-18 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-07-25 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-08-01 12:00 - 13:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Book Now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/aradvent/
Your child can join us every Saturday for a relaxed and inspiring drop-in art class at the museum!
MoCA/CT Art Studio Classroom – entrance in back
$25.00/per child
Ages 4+

The CORA Foundation Community Conversation with Ellen Harvey + Dan Woog
2026-07-16 17:30 - 19:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Reserve: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/thecorafoundationcommunityconversationwithellenharveydanwoog/
Join us for an evening inspired by Looking for History, MoCACT’s summer exhibition featuring Ellen Harvey’s The Disappointed Tourist. This special program brings the exhibition’s themes of memory, loss, and place into a local context, inviting audiences to reflect on the spaces that have shaped—and disappeared from—our shared landscape.
Moderated by journalist and 06880 founder Dan Woog, the conversation features an interview with artist Harvey alongside preservation advocate Ed Gerber (Historic New England). Together, they will explore the cultural and emotional significance of lost places, from global landmarks to beloved Westport institutions.
For the MoCACT Looking for History exhibition, Harvey has created four new paintings based on local submissions: The Remarkable Book Shop, Cedar Brook Cafe, Bloodroot, and Allen’s Clam House, which will serve as a starting point for a broader community dialogue.
The evening will also include brief presentations from selected community participants sharing their own “lost places,” adding personal perspective and storytelling to the discussion. As our Disappointed Tourist Guide, Woog will present the award selections. Categories include “Gone Too Soon,” “Place You Thought Would Last Forever,” “What a Cool Hangout!” “Just One More Bite,” followed by an audience vote to crown one favorite missed location.
Submit your story to 06880 here.
Schedule:

5:30 pm – Doors open
5:45 pm – Introductory remarks
6:00 pm – Program begins

About Ellen Harvey
An internationally recognized artist, the British-born, Brooklyn-based Harvey has exhibited at major museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum der Moderne Salzburg. Frieze selected The Disappointed Tourist at Turner Contemporary in Margate as one of the five best institutional shows in the UK in 2021. The exhibition was most recently featured at the Chicago Architecture Center before opening at MoCACT.
About Dan Woog
Dan Woog is a lifelong Westport resident who has chronicled the town for decades, beginning with his writing for Staples High School publications. Since 2017, he has published the widely read 06880 blog, whose tagline, “Where Westport meets the world,” reflects its blend of local news, features, history, and photography. The site attracts up to 20,000 daily readers. In 2021, “06880” became a nonprofit foundation dedicated to educating and strengthening the Westport community.
A full-time freelance writer, Dan’s work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated. He is also the author of 18 books, including a comprehensive 380-page history of Staples High School.
About Ed Gerber
Ed Gerber is a longtime preservation advocate whose leadership has shaped historic preservation efforts across Connecticut. He is the past president of the Westport Historical Society (now the Westport Museum for History and Culture) and former vice chair of the Historic District Commission. A member of the Board of Trustees of Historic New England, he serves as an ambassador for Connecticut and founded the Edward F. Gerber Urban Preservation Fund, which supports restoration of historic homes in urban communities statewide. Gerber also restored his own 1764 Sturges-Wright House. In 2023, he was honored with a medallion presented on behalf of President Biden in recognition of his 50 years of volunteer service.
About the CORA Foundation
The CORA Foundation is dedicated to safeguarding and celebrating culture and heritage.The foundation works on a global scale to support projects that protect, elevate, and interpret culture and heritage in all its forms.

Advanced Art Studio for Adults with Disabilities
2026-07-18 13:45 - 14:45, 2026-07-25 13:45 - 14:45, 2026-08-01 13:45 - 14:45 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Saturdays in the MoCACT art studio
1:45PM-2:45PM
Donations Accepted – suggested $25.00
Adults with disabilities
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/advanceastudifoawdisacop/
Through guided projects and open-ended exploration, artists will strengthen their personal style, experiment with mixed media, painting, drawing, sculpture, and design, and gain confidence in creative decision-making. Emphasis is placed on self-expression, independence, and the joy of the creative process, with individualized instruction that meets each artist where they are. This class encourages artistic growth, curiosity, and community while celebrating each participant’s unique voice.

CANCELED – Architectural Elegy: A Mourning Ritual for Lost Spaces
2026-07-23 18:00 - 19:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
CANCELED Architectural Elegy: A Mourning Ritual for Lost Spaces
A Visual Performance Art Sponsored by the CORA Foundation
In response to The Disappointed Tourist, Ellen Harvey’s on-going project of painting lost places, Dannielle Tegeder of Hilma’s Ghost will lead a meditative ceremony with Ellen Harvey honoring demolished and disappearing buildings through collective remembrance. Participants will create ephemeral memorials by drawing or writing about a place they miss and sharing brief stories of places that shaped their lives. Drawing inspiration from Harvey’s practice of preserving the overlooked, participants will honor our forgotten spaces through a knotting ritual creating a temporary community to support each other in our grief. The ritual closes with a moment of silence for the places and structures that once held our histories.
Duration: 60 minutes | All materials provided | Participants are invited to dress in mourning or black (not required) | All are welcome
Ellen Harvey’s The Disappointed Tourist, currently on view at MoCA/CT, is an ongoing project of painting lost places submitted by the public in response to the question: “Is there someplace that you would like to visit or revisit that no longer exists?” To date, Harvey has painted over 320 sites from over 40 countries, ranging from the locations of happy memories to traumatic sites of loss and destruction.
About Hilma’s Ghost
Hilma’s Ghost was founded by Dannielle Tegeder and Sharmistha Ray in 2020 and for over five years, this initiative explored feminism, spirituality, and collective practice through exhibitions, curatorial projects, and community-based programming. The duo is known for Abstract Futures Tarot, presented at The Armory Show in 2021, as well as the acclaimed exhibitions Cosmic Geometries and Chromagick. Through workshops and online initiatives, they have built an international community of more than 6,000 participants. Their work has been featured in The New York Times, Hyperallergic, and Artnet, and they have upcoming projects in Mexico City and New York through the MTA Percent for Art program.
About Exhibition Artist, Ellen Harvey
Ellen Harvey is a British-born Brooklyn-based conceptual artist whose work ranges from guerrilla street interventions to immersive institutional installations and large-scale public artworks. She has exhibited extensively in the US and internationally, including the 2008 Whitney Biennial. Solo museum exhibitions include the Chicago Architecture Center, Turner Contemporary (UK), Museum der Moderne Salzburg (Austria), Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), The Bass (Miami Beach), Groeninge Museum (Bruges, Belgium), Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington DC), Pennsylvania Academy of Art (Philadelphia), Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art (Gdansk, Poland), Butler Gallery (Ireland), among others.
About Visiting Performer, Danielle Tegeder
Danielle Tegeder is a Brooklyn-based artist born in Peekskill, New York. Since earning her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, she has exhibited extensively in the United States and internationally. Her work has been featured at major institutions including PS1/MoMA, the New Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Her drawings are included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, and her work is held in several permanent collections. Tegeder has also received numerous residencies and awards, including support from Yaddo and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation.

Fairfield County Dance Festival
2026-07-30 18:00 - 20:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
The Fairfield County Dance Festival is an annual open-air summer performance series that is entirely free of charge. Gather your family and friends, grab your picnic chairs, pack dinner and drinks and enjoy an evening of dance and music under the stars!LIVE MUSIC AT 6 PM EACH EVENING!Curated for and touring throughout Fairfield County, Connecticut, this dance festival enables greater accessibility to the arts and promotes community engagement. In addition to East Coast Contemporary Ballet and Thomas/Ortiz Dance, the touring festival features other local artists, guest dance companies, and musicians from NYC and New England.
RESERVE

Gallery Talk with Rick Shaefer
2026-08-20 18:00 - 19:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Gallery Talk with Rick Shaefer
Thursday, August 20, 6–7pm
Register Here: $25 General admissions, $15 for seniors and students, free for Museum Members
In conjunction with Looking for History, join exhibiting artist Rick Shaefer for a guided tour of Colossi on Thursday, August 20, at 6pm.
During this one-hour walkthrough, Shaefer will lead Museum visitors through the exhibition, sharing insights into the inspiration, historical references, and creative methods that inform the works on view. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a discussion about the artist’s concepts, materials, and techniques.
Shaefer’s exhibition at MoCACT includes selections from three ongoing bodies of work: the Colossi, Refugee Trilogy, and Liberty Dismantled series. These works collectively examine the transhistorical themes of migration, displacement, national identity, and the tension between ideals of freedom and the realities of division.
Also on view are two short videos that offer a close read of two major drawings from the Colossi series, The New Colossus and Siege. The videos, created specifically for this exhibition, offer visitors a deeper understanding of the historical precedents, symbolism, and formal techniques that shape the artist’s practice. Together, these works invite reflection on the structures — both physical and metaphorical — that impact our world and our relationships with one another.

Looking for History — Michael Borders Reception
2026-09-10 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
LOOKING FOR HISTORY
Rick Shaefer: Colossi — On view June 25 – November 15, 2026
Michael Borders: Connecticut Industry — On view August 13 – November 15, 2026
Opening Reception: (Michael Borders: Connecticut Industry): Thursday September 10, 2026 from 6–8pm RESERVE
MoCACT presents Looking for History featuring three artists, Rick Shaefer, Ellen Harvey, and Michael Borders—each presented in their own dedicated gallery space at varying intervals over the course of the exhibition from June 25 to November 15, 2026. In recognition of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, the Museum invites visitors into distinct yet interconnected conversations about our nation’s past, present, and potential future.

Encaustic Collage with Leslie Giuliani
2026-09-17 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Cost: $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.
– Register

Rick Shaefer Studio Visit (Members-only)
2026-09-26 11:00 - 12:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Rick Shaefer Studio Visit (Members-only)
Saturday, September 26, 2026
11am – 12:30pm
(Location to be disclosed upon registration)
Register Here: Free admission for MoCACT Members
In conjunction with Looking for History, MoCACT invites Museum Members to an exclusive visit to the studio of exhibiting artist Rick Shaefer on Saturday, September 26, from 11:00am to 12:30pm. Space is limited to 15 participants.
Join us for a rare opportunity to explore the memorable space where Shaefer created his acclaimed Colossi, Refugee Trilogy, and Liberty Dismantled series. During this visit, Rick will guide Museum Members through his creative environment, sharing past works and works currently in progress.
The visit will include a discussion of Shaefer’s artistic process, followed by an opportunity to engage directly with the artist. A group photo with Rick Shaefer will be taken at the end of the visit. To learn more about Rick Shaefer and his work, visit www.rickshaefer.com.
Following the studio visit, Members are welcome to gather for lunch at nearby restaurants. Prior to the event, a list of recommended eateries will be shared along with the studio location.
Register today to join us for this special Members-only experience.
Interested in becoming a MoCACT Member? Email info@mocact.org or visit mocact.org to learn more and gain access to exclusive programs such as this one.

MoCACT Presents: Morgan James
2026-10-03 19:00 - 20:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States

MoCACT Presents: Heida Hermanns International Music Competition - Final Round
2026-11-14 16:00 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States

MoCACT Presents: Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap
2027-01-30 19:00 - 20:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States

MoCACT Presents: Calidore String Quartet
2027-02-20 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States

MoCACT Presents: Jasper String Quartet
2027-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States

MoCACT Presents: Time for Three
2027-04-29 19:00 - 20:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States

MoCACT Presents: Kate Kortum
2027-05-08 19:00 - 20:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
