Hot Shops Art Center

06/18/2026

⚾ No games? No problem.

Get your baseball fix while the stadium takes a breather. 🔥 Our Hot Glass Stamping Experience lets you create an Omaha-themed glass baseball medallion in about 10 minutes for just $20.

No experience required. Just drop in, press your design into molten glass, and create a one-of-a-kind souvenir you made yourself.

Drop in anytime:
Thursday & Friday: 10 AM–6 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 11 AM–5 PM

Perfect for baseball fans, families, and anyone looking for a uniquely Omaha experience.

MadeInOmaha

06/15/2026

🔥⚾ Put me in, Coach...

If baseball is on your mind this week, we’ve got something fun waiting just down the street.

Create your own Omaha-themed glass baseball medallion in our Hot Glass Stamping Experience. You’ll press the design into molten glass and leave with a one-of-a-kind keepsake made by you.

⚾ Just $20
🔥 Takes about 10 minutes
🚶 Book online. Walk-ins welcome

Stop by before the game, between games, or while exploring downtown Omaha and make your own piece of the city’s baseball tradition.

Visit Hotshops.art - All scheduled classes



Matthew Shrader

06/13/2026

This morning’s storm left its mark on our art community. The Hot Shops tent sustained significant damage, and sadly, nearly 80% of the glass artwork we had on hand was destroyed. We are still assessing the full extent of the damage and working hard to clean up.

Because of this, there will be no glassblowing demonstrations today as our team focuses on getting everything back in order.

Fellow Hot Shops resident artists Mell Smith and Greg Macdonald, lost nearly half of the artwork they brought to the show. Greg Macdonald

While this morning has been difficult, the spirit of this art community is stronger than any storm.

If you’re coming to the art fair this weekend, we encourage you to show up big! Visit the artists, support their work, and help reignite the fire that the storm tried to extinguish.

Matthew Shrader Samuel Logeman

06/05/2026

FRIDAY NIGHT ART FLUID!
Tonight 5:30-8pm 🔥

Here, art isn’t just observed; it’s experienced, made and lived.

Explore three floors of art and artists. Pro Tip: Start on the top and work your way down.

Exhibitions
Nicholas Street Gallery: Omaha Camera Club
1301 Gallery: Vickie Hughes and Samuel Logeman
Lumen Landing: Jill Rizzo
Spark Landing: Thorn Wren
Ignition Point: Jean Mason
First Fire Gallery: Metro Community College, University of Nebraska Omaha and Creighton University

Open Studios/Activities

1st Floor
#101 - Valerie Spellman
#116 - Jacqueline Jacober
#118 - Rebecca Rotert & Heather Kita
#102 - Sandy and Bryan Hagen
#106 - Caroline Schmitz & Carole Debuse
#111 - Pottery
#122 - Crystal Forge

2nd Floor
#203 - Gabriella Quiroz
#208 - Margie Ehlers - Lampworking demonstrations
#210 - Lori Elliott-Bartle
#211 - Jean Mason - Urban Sketching Jumpstart
#213 - Sara Sumnick Wamsat - Collaborative painting

3rd Floor
#305 - Carmen Lara - Painting
#307 - Tracy Rotundo
#323 - Joan Wilson-Sangimino

Step outside and follow the neighborhood crawl!
Kros Strain Brewing
Kinkead Optical
Wick & Paper Studio
Dolomiti Pizzeria & Enoteca
Coneflower Creamery
Heirloom Fine Foods Market & Cafe

06/03/2026

Fresh logo. Fresh coat. The same fiery spirit that makes Hot Shops unlike anywhere else.

We’re excited to reveal our refreshed exterior 🔥

Huge thanks to Michael Godek and GO Painting LLC for the expert craftsmanship, and to Daake for helping us reimagine and refine the Hot Shops brand.

Stop by, and see what’s new on the outside, and what’s always inspiring on the inside. Join us Friday, June 5 for the next Friday Night Art Fluid featuring Omaha Camera Club! See you soon. 😎

05/29/2026

Congratulations to Mell Smith and Greg MacDonald on this feature in Omaha Magazine! We are grateful you are part of our Hot Shops community!

Mell Smith and Greg Macdonald have turned their creative passion into their living. But that doesn’t mean it’s fun 24/7.

05/28/2026

Plot twist: we clean up pretty well.

We are getting a little exterior glow-up. Fresh coat, fresh logo. Same fiery spirit and creative chaos on the inside.

Stay tuned for the transformation reveal 🔥

Thank GO Painting LLC and artist Michael Godek!

04/22/2026

Spark your spring fever at the Hot Shops Spring Open House 🔥🌸 May 1 & 2

Shop for spring with:
• One-of-a-kind yard art + sculptures to bring your outdoor spaces to life
• Thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts of handmade jewelry, wall art, and more
• A fresh collection of beautifully crafted, glass-blown wine glasses for mom’s favorite beverage
• Even something special for your cat 🐾

What to expect:
• Meet the makers across three floors of working studios + galleries
• Live fiery arts demos
• Shop from 50+ artist studios and First Fire Gallery, our student-led retail space
• Experience new exhibitions from Omaha Public Schools Educators + Omaha Catholic School students

Friday, May 1 | 5–8 PM
Kick off the weekend with exhibition openings and shopping!

Saturday, May 2 | 10 AM–6 PM
Spend the day exploring, discovering, and connecting

Suggested $5 donation at the door
Free street parking + free parking at Millwork Commons
Free pedal cab rides from Millwork lots (Sat, 11 AM–2 PM)

Come wander, watch, shop, and feel the heat - there’s nothing like experiencing art where it’s made.

04/09/2026

🔥 Friday Night Art Fluid | April 10 🔥
New Exhibitions + Open Studios + Art, Food & Neighborhood Energy

Join us for a night to explore new work, meet the artists, and step into the process—trying your hand at making something of your own.

Opening Exhibitions & Featured Work:
• Intersections – Creighton University Kappa Pi Art Honors Society
• Eastern Midlands Conference Student Awards Exhibition
• Marin Mowat
• Jean Mason

Get hands-on with art and music:
• Grab a walk-in Hot Glass Experience spot and try molten glass
• Woodcarving demonstrations - Studio 110
• Interactive Painting - Studio 307
• Heart Painting - Studio 312
• Pull a pixel-inspired print from historic printing presses - Studio 308
• Live music - Studio 321

Drinks with Kros Strain Brewing
Snacks available

🔥 Follow the spark into the neighborhood:
• Kinkead Optical – Open until 6 p.m. Stop by for a complimentary frame cleaning or adjustment and start the night crystal clear.
• Wick & Paper Studio – Abstract art & Candle experience
• Dolomiti Pizzeria & Enoteca – Wood-fired pizza and Italian wines perfect for a dinner stop (patio opens soon!)
• Coneflower Creamery – Cool things down with small-batch ice cream made right here in Omaha
• Kros Strain Brewing – Finish the night with a locally brewed pint

Art that glows. Community that glows.

Photos featuring the work of:
Megan Patterson “Internal Animus”
Isabella Taddeini “Metamorphosis”
Brigid Flynn “Walk in the Rain”

04/09/2026

Join us tomorrow morning for breakfast and to hear from Hot Shops co-founder Tim Barry! CreativeMornings events are free - but pre-registration is requested.