Media Advisory | Photo/Video Opportunity: The Dayton Art Institute Debuts the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Gallery for Feminist Art

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CONTACT: Erin Wood, Marketing Communications Manager
937-271-1341 (cell) | ewood@daytonart.org

Ribbon cutting to take place at 11:15 AM on Saturday, February 7, 2026

WHO: Dayton Art Institute; Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell
WHAT: Grand opening of the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Gallery for Feminist Art, a gallery newly dedicated to feminist art and women artists.
WHERE: Dayton Art Institute 456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton, OH 45405
WHEN: February 7, 2026, 11:15 AM

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Dayton Art Institute will celebrate the opening of the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Gallery for Feminist Art, made possible by a transformative gift of hundreds of works by local, national and international women artists from the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection. Gifted to the museum at the end of 2025, the nationally recognized collection focuses on feminist and socially engaged art and includes works by Cindy Sherman, Carolee Schneemann, Elizabeth Catlett, Ana Mendieta and many others.

The gallery will open with Exploring Feminism, on view February 7, 2026–January 31, 2027. The three-part exhibition, in which artworks will come off view and be replaced by new works, will examine the origins, history and ongoing evolution of the feminist movement.

Media are invited to attend.
For interviews, images or additional information, contact Erin Wood at 937-271-1341 (call or text), or ewood@daytonart.org. Media RSVP requested by Thursday, February 5, 2026.

ABOUT SARA AND MICHELLE VANCE WADELL
Sara Vance Waddell is a community advocate, philanthropist, animal rights and social justice advocate and art collector. Together with her wife, Michelle Vance Waddell, she has assembled one of the largest and most significant collections of women’s art in the Midwest. Their collection, which includes local, national and international artists, has been exhibited at the Dayton Art Institute and the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, and is on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Connecticut through February 15, 2026.

Sara Vance Waddell is a dedicated arts advocate serving on numerous boards, including the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Carolee Schneemann Foundation and the Brooklyn Museum’s Council for Feminist Art. She is Trustee Emeritus of both ArtWorks and the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, and is a member of ArtTable, an organization dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts. Over her career, she has received numerous honors, such as the Enquirer Woman of the Year (2010), the Civic Leadership Award (2011) and induction into the Brown County Hall of Fame (2022) as its first living recipient.

For more information about planning a visit, including current museum hours and updates, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/visit or call 937-223-4ART (4278). Connect with the Dayton Art Institute on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for additional information, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and exclusive offers.

ABOUT DAYTON ART INSTITUTE
MISSION: Through art, we create transformative and diverse experiences, strengthen community connections and inspire imagination.

VISION: Through art, we will be a community leader recognized as a welcoming, thought-provoking and collaborative place that nurtures inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.

The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) is the Miami Valley’s premier fine art museum, offering a full range of programming in addition to exhibiting its collection. The museum is currently open Wednesdays, 11 AM–5 PM; Thursdays, 11 AM–8 PM; Fridays & Saturdays, 11 AM–5 PM; and Sundays, noon–5 PM. Go to www.daytonartinstitute.org/visit for the latest museum information and updates. Museum admission is $15 adults, $10 seniors (60+), active military and groups (10 or more), $5 students (18+ w/ID) and youth (ages 7–17), free for children (ages 6 & younger) and free for museum members. Admission includes access to all Special Exhibitions, Focus Exhibitions, The Lange Family Experiencenter and the museum’s collection galleries. Some events and programs may carry an additional charge and include museum admission as part of that price. Free parking is available at the museum, and the facility is fully accessible. The DAI’s Museum Store and Leo are open during regular museum hours, offering unique shopping, as well as drinks and tasty treats. The Museum Store also offers online shopping at www.daimuseumstore.org. For more information about the DAI, visit daytonartinstitute.org or call 937-223-4ART (4278). The Ohio Arts Council helps fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The DAI also receives support from Culture Works and the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District.

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