About Public Programming
We are so grateful for your ongoing support of the ICA San José and we truly hope you will stay with us as we re-open with your safety in mind. This summer holds lots of exciting opportunities to engage with the ICA. Sign-up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on social media to stay up to date on all of our upcoming exhibition and programming. We could not be more excited to be open again and cannot wait to welcome you back!
Upcoming Programs and Events
South FIRST FRIDAYS
We are excited to announce the ICA San Jose is joining South FIRST FRIDAYS starting August 6th! South FIRST FRIDAYS street closure will extend to the ICA for their Art Walk and Street Mrkt.
We have a lot of exciting events and activities relating to our current exhibitions in store for South FIRST FRIDAYS. Keep an eye out for our upcoming programming!
About South FIRST FRIDAYS:
South FIRST FRIDAYS are an eclectic evening of Arts & Culture in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district every first Friday of the month (except for January and July due to the major holidays).
The Art Walk is a self-guided evening tour through galleries, museums, and independent creative businesses featuring exhibitions and special performances.
During the summer months, the folks behind the Art Walk also produce special outdoor events that take place in conjunction with the walk: SubZERO Festival (June) and Street Mrkts (August & September). These events are an effort to give local artists, bands and indie creative retailers the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work directly to the public.
All venues and outdoor summer events are FREE and open to the public. We can’t wait for you to join us!
December 4, 2019: ICA Gives Back
August 2 and September 6, 2019: Camp ICA
June 7, 2019: Bob Ross Party
May 3, 2019: Felting Demo
April 5, 2019: Color Party
March 1, 2019: Robotics Open House
February 1, 2019: Word for Word
June 1, 2018; Art(work) Artists Printing Demonstration
May 4, 2018; O.M. France Viana: Ube Trade
April 6, 2018; Lauren Baines Dance/Theatre
March 2, 2018; Lux Interna
February 2, 2018; Scott Tooby: Sonic Mirror
August 4, 2017; Kate Rhoades: screening of Karen and chat with the artist
June 2, 2017; Shawn HibmaCronan
May 5, 2017; Xuxa Santamaria
April 7, 2015, 8pm; Takeshi Moro: The Karaoke Projects
February 3, 2017; Kate Short and Ven Voisey
December 2, 2016; Nick Dong and Kim Allen
September 2, 2016; Amy Oates
August 5, 2016; Peter Foucault and Arlene Biala, Brittany Biala and Yaccaira Salvatierra
June 3, 2016; Taro Hattori
May 6, 2016; Ryan Carrington
Talking Art
Talking art is a series of lectures, panel discussions and engaging public talks to promote dialogue and critical conversations about art.
Talking Art is an ICA Public Program series that engages artists, students, collectors, and community members through professional development programs and interdisciplinary artist conversations.
ICA Members: Free for ICA members
Non-Members: $10
Students: Free
September 15, 2019: Psychedelic Medicine
This panel discussed the history, benefits, mythology, and politics around psychedelics as medicine. This talk is in conjunction with the closing reception of Surreal Sublime: Contemporary Landscapes, which features artists who reference psychedelic visuals through their artwork.
August 11, 2019: Portfolio Reviews
In this annual artist professional development program, leading curators, art dealers, and educators provide expert advice and insights in a portfolio critique. Each artist participant had the opportunity to meet with two reviewers for 20 minutes each.
June 23, 2019: Tracey Snelling Artist Talk & Performance
Snelling discussed her inspirations, influences, and process behind her exhibition Clusterf*ck. The talk was followed by a performance within Snelling’s installation.
April 14, 2019: Money Matters
This panel discussed the many ways artists navigate the rising cost of living in the Bay Area and the hustle of being a professional artist.
February 24, 2019: Evolution of Robots: Art and Machine
In conjunction with Alan Rath’s exhibition at the ICA, this Talking Art brought together a panel of various experts to discuss the past, present, and future of robots.
January 13, 2019: Art & Science Social Hour
Art & Science Social Hour celebrated the ways in which the worlds of science and art intertwine. Visitors enjoyed artist-led conversations and hands-on activities that will interest the left and right brained alike.
Lecture from the Curator of the Museum of Historical Makeovers
Sunday, August 26, 2018 3 – 4PM
Join us at the Hello Kitty Monument for an engaging performance by Kathy Aoki, Curator of the Museum of Historical Makeovers, in conjunction with the ICA’s current exhibition #WishYouWereHere.
Artist Portfolio Reviews
Sunday, August 12, 2018
In this annual artist professional development program, leading curators, art dealers, and educators provide expert advice and insights in a portfolio critique.
On Your Left Bike Boogie
Sunday, August 4, 11AM – 4PM
Join us outside the ICAand in Parque de los Pobladores for a day of bicycle-related fun and festivities.
Spinning Songs with Taro Hattori
Sunday, July 8, 2 – 5 PM
In conjunction with On Your Left, artist Taro Hattori invites you to participate in Leitmotif, an ongoing participatory piece. Turning the pedal of an upside-down bicycle wheel, participants are invited to sing a song in memory of someone.
Social Media and Your Practice
Sunday, May 6, 3 – 4 PM
Learn to share your art practice on social media with ICA’s very own online content manager and communications manager, Sarah Fullerton. She’ll talk about strategies and best practices and discuss the various platforms for communicating your work.
Surveillance and Privacy Today
Sunday, April 8, 3 – 4 PM
Panel discussion in conjunction with Chris Eckert: Privacy Not Included featuring the artist, Chris Eckert; Dr. Jeremy Gillula, Senior Staff Technologist at Electronic Frontier Foundation; Professor Lydia De La Torre, Privacy Law Fellow at Santa Clara University Law School; and moderated by ICA Executive Director, Cathy Kimball.
Printstallations: Artist Walk Through
Saturday, February 24, 3 – 4 PM
Encore: Artists’ Panel Discussion
Sunday, February 4, 3 – 4 PM
A panel discussion with Erin Goodwin-Guerrero, Katherine Huffaker Jones, Tony May, Valerie Patten and Jeff Alan West.
1040 Made Easy: Financial Advice for Artists
Sunday, January 28, 3 – 4 PM
Sunday, December 3, 2017 3 – 4 PM
Exhibition Walk Through: Overture
Sunday, December 10, 2017 3 – 4 PM
Featuring Opera San Jose performing live in the gallery.
ICA Social Club
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2021 Social Club and ICA Auction Event. We were thrilled at the enthusiasm that directly supported our amazing participating artists. Moreover, we could not be more excited to share that your participation helped us raise nearly $200,000 in support of Raising Voices for Artists and Interns and the important work of the ICA!
Now, more than ever, the ICA is committed to extending access and engagement with contemporary art to the broadest community possible and to raising voices in the world of art that reflect the world in which we live. We are so grateful to this incredible ICA community – we couldn’t have done it without you! Please enjoy below the full ICA Social Club Master Class, our educational series that gives you insight and knowledge into the contemporary art ecosystem and what it means to be a collector in this day and age. Click through our 2021 auction artists to hear what they have to say about their practice and featured auction artwork below.
Featured Artists in our 2021 Auction:
Bethany Collins
Conrad Egyir
David Ellingsen
Liam Everett
Amir H. Fallah
Terri Friedman
LigaranoReese
Liz Hernández
Caroline Kent
Koak
Christopher Martin
Natani Notah
David Pace
Ebony G. Patterson
Maria Paz
Alyson Shotz
Anna Valdez
Sara VanDerBeek
Social Club Kick-Off with special guest Conrad Egyir, Facade Project Artist
Co-presented with Jessica Silverman Gallery and 8-bridges. Artist Conrad Egyir, in conversation with Ali Gass, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Institute of Contemporary Art San José, discuss his new paintings for 8-bridges and his upcoming Facade Project with the ICA San José in fall 2021. Watch now >>
Collectors: Assembling a Collection
Collectors Wayee Chu, Wanda Kownacki, Pamela Hornik, and Pete Scantland explore the making of a contemporary art collection. Gain perspectives into starting and growing a collection, what they think about when working with artists and galleries, and their insights into the art world. Watch now >>
Gallerists: Tips, Tricks and Trends
Gallerists Claudia Altman-Siegel (Altman Siegel, San Francisco), Brock Brake (pt.2 Gallery, Oakland), Monique Meloche (Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago), and Jessica Silverman (Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco) discuss insider tips and tricks for collecting contemporary art. Learn about the artists they represent, the real scoop on art fairs, and best practices for purchasing art from galleries. Watch now >>
Advisors & Auctions: On the Money
Panelists Kelly Huang (KCH Advisory), Adam Green (Adam Green Art Advisory), Amelia G. Manderscheid (Bonhams), and Sophia Kinell (Phillips) talk about the inner workings of auction houses and art fairs, the benefits of working with an art advisor, strategies for investing in art, and a hot new topic: NFTs. Watch now >>
A Curator’s Eye
Curators Janet Bishop (SFMOMA) Wassan Al-Khudhairi (CAM St. Louis), Tina Vaz (Facebook Open Arts) and Alison Gass (ICA San José) discuss the curator’s role in the art market from the perspective of their differing institutions, what artists they have their eye on, and the important relationships between artist, curator, and collector. Watch now >>
Speed Dating the Artists #1
Learn more about select auction artists in this series of rapid-fire studio visits. This week featured artists Alyson Shotz, Caroline Kent, Maria Paz, Terri Friedman, and Anna Valdez. Watch now >>
Speed Dating the Artists #2
Learn more about select auction artists in this series of rapid-fire studio visits. This week featured artists David Ellingsen, Natani Notah, LigoranoReese, Bethany Collins and Liz Hernández. Watch now >>
Speed Dating the Artists #3
Learn more about select auction artists in this series of rapid-fire studio visits. Our third and final Speed Dating the Artists event features Sara VanDerBeek, Conrad Egyir, Liam Everett, Christopher Martin, Koak, Amir H. Fallah and a presentation by our curators of the auction work by Ebony G. Patterson. Watch now >>
PSA Programs
Our commitment to contemporary art and its transformative ability to spark dialogue and offer insight, inspiration, and possibilities for progress was very much unwavering during the global pandemic in 2020. With opportunities for active engagement abound during this time, we’re called our events PSAs from the ICA.
Though they may function a lot like Public Service Announcements (they educate and raise awareness), here PSA actually means: P(ractice) S(afe) A(rt)!
During Covid-19, all of our programming fell under our PSA program. These included free programming for all of our audiences, member-specific programming, and even some physical outdoor opportunities to experience art in real life. See how we celebrated our 40th anniversary over the course of 2020, delve into conversations about the role of museums and arts organizations post Covid-19, how museums reinvented themselves, how artistic practice is changed, how artists coped, and much more!
PSA Convos:
Artist interviews, curator talks, workshops, and studio visits on Instagram live. Learn more
PSA Talking Art: Virtual Opening Reception
You can watch the Artists featured in the exhibition Personal Alchemy explain their work during this Virtual Opening Reception. Watch Here
