CoCA (Center on Contemporary Art)

CoCA (Center on Contemporary Art) Since 1980, CoCA has served the Pacific Northwest as a catalyst and forum for the advancement, understanding, and development of contemporary art.

Mission: CoCA serves the Pacific Northwest as a catalyst and forum for the advancement, development, and understanding of Contemporary Art. History: CoCA has been a vital part of contemporary art in the Northwest for 43 years and has operated galleries and produced events throughout the region over that time period.

⚽️ THE WORLD IS WATCHING! 🌍The World Cup is officially here, and we’re bringing the beautiful game to life! Join us at t...
06/12/2026

⚽️ THE WORLD IS WATCHING! 🌍
The World Cup is officially here, and we’re bringing the beautiful game to life! Join us at the Vandenbrink Community Room- TK lofts for a series of 7 exclusive Futbol/Soccer Art Show Pop-Ups.

Whether you’re heading out of Lumen Field or just want to soak in the tournament vibes, come celebrate the culture, the community, and the art of the game.

What to expect:

•Incredible soccer-inspired art curated by Jimmy Quatier jimquatier (the Washington State Men’s Open Team Goalkeeper & 1991 ESFNA Champion!).

•Art available for purchase—take a piece of World Cup history home!

•Interactive photo ops.

This event is free and open to the public!
📅 Mark Your Calendars (Pop-Up Schedule):
June 15, 19, 24 | 2 PM – 5 PM
July 1 | 2 PM – 5 PM
July 2 (Pioneer Square Art Walk) | 5 PM – 9 PM 🎨
July 6 | 7 PM – 10 PM
July 19 (World Cup Final Bonus Pop-up!) | 2 PM – 5 PM 🏆
No tickets needed. See you there! 🙌🏽

CoCA is excited to announce its multiple shows this Thursday, June 4, 2026: At the main gallery, from June 4 - June 27, ...
06/04/2026

CoCA is excited to announce its multiple shows this Thursday, June 4, 2026:

At the main gallery, from June 4 - June 27, CoCA in partnership with Seattle Print Arts (SPA), presents Under Pressure: Contemporary Political Prints, a juried exhibition highlighting the continued relevance of printmaking as a tool for political expression and collective reflection.

This exhibition invites artists to reflect on the political realities of our time through the enduring medium of printmaking. In periods of turbulence, art becomes a vital space for expression, connection, and resilience. Under Pressure highlights artists engaging with themes of power, resistance, oppression, identity, and social change. Printmaking has long served as a tool to disseminate ideas and amplify marginalized voices.

While digital media dominates political communication, physical prints retain a unique immediacy, offering a direct and tangible way to confront urgent issues.We invite submissions of work that speak boldly, critically, and thoughtfully to the pressures of our contemporary moment.

Our juror, Judy Lee, weBelong Seattle, selected the work for the exhibition from among the submission.

Additionally we are pleased to continue Teresa Spellman Gamble’s collection at Collins Pub, where the artist will be in attendance on First Thursday.

In addition to First Thursday activities, we are very excited to open “Multiple Identity” by AKA Ray C. Freeman III at Bulldog News.

Finally, we are also pleased to continue Jay Stoneking’s show at the Gary Manuel Salon.



Come say hey and looking forward to seeing you all during artwalk!

🌍 A major international collaboration has officially launched. New Culture Studios (Ibadan) , CoCA, and Wa Na Wari (Sea...
05/31/2026

🌍 A major international collaboration has officially launched. New Culture Studios (Ibadan) , CoCA, and Wa Na Wari (Seattle) have teamed up to create a historic visual arts exchange: The Expanding Technologies Residency.

We are opening up a fully funded, 3-week residency exchange for one artist from Seattle and one artist from Ibadan to completely redefine how we look at technology. We are moving past simple digital novelty to explore the enduring cultural, indigenous, and nature-based innovations shaping our world today.

WHAT’S PROVIDED:
• Full financial backing: $3,000 artist stipend (~$1,000/week)
• 100% covered round-trip travel and visa fees
• Fully funded room and board
• Complete local arts community immersion and public exhibition
• $0 application fee

ELIGIBILITY:
• Established practice in any visual arts medium
• Identify as Black, African, and/or of African descent
• Must live and work in either the Seattle area or Ibadan, Nigeria
• Age 21 or over with a valid international passport

TIMELINE AND DEADLINES:
• Info Session 2 (Zoom): Monday, June 1st, 6-7 PM PST
• Inquiry Deadline: Sunday, June 7th
• Final Application Deadline: Sunday, June 14th @ 11:59 PM PST
• Residency Window: September 13th – November 14th, 2026

Got questions before you dive in? Join the live info session tomorrow or reach out directly to [email protected].

🔗Tap the link in our bio to access the application portal, view the recorded virtual information session, and read the full conceptual brief.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: MULTITUDES🔗 Click the link in our bio to join and submitCoCA’s Annual Members’ Exhibition is open for ...
05/28/2026

CALL FOR ARTISTS: MULTITUDES

🔗 Click the link in our bio to join and submit

CoCA’s Annual Members’ Exhibition is open for submissions! CoCA has always been more than just a gallery: it is an experimental ecosystem built on the labor and creativity of thousands of artists, volunteers, and collaborators since 1980. Today, as we expand into a new era of artistic research, our annual members’ exhibition reflects that exact energy: MULTITUDES turns the spotlight entirely on the present moment of your practice. We invite you to submit your current work, completely free from the restrictions of a singular theme. MULTITUDES celebrates the experimental and expansive paths our artists are charting right now. Our juror this year is CoCA’s own Curator Emeritus, David Francis PhD.

Open to ALL media (2D, 3D, installation, multimedia, performance, sound, and literary).

EVERY member is included! One piece from each active member artist will be selected for the physical exhibition in Pioneer Square, and all directory members will be featured in our annual printed Members’ Catalog!

HOW TO ENTER

1️⃣ Join or Renew: Active membership is required by June 13 (Starts at $22.50 student/senior/volunteer, $45 general).
2️⃣ Update Your Directory: Upload your work (max 10 high-quality JPGs) to our free online Member Directory.
3️⃣ Select Your Favorites: Place your top three exhibition-ready pieces in the top slots of your profile and check the availability box.

•Submissions Due: Saturday, June 13, 2026 @ 11:59 PM PST

•Exhibition Runs: July 2 – July 26, 2026

•Opening Reception: Thursday, July 2 (5–9 PM, Pioneer Square Art Walk)

Not a member yet? Sign up today to secure your spot in the gallery and catalog, plus get a 70% artist commission rate on sales.

Since 1980, we've been the weirdos who always get back up- surviving near-death experiences, shifting across Seattle's n...
05/19/2026

Since 1980, we've been the weirdos who always get back up- surviving near-death experiences, shifting across Seattle's neighborhoods, and fiercely protecting a space for experimental, radical art. CoCA isn't just a space to look at art, it's a living archive of Seattle's counter-culture.

As we step into CoCA's next phase, we are incredibly proud to share a new Directional Statement from our new President, Valeria Espinal (they/them). It lays out a bold, collective vision for our future: expanding our potential multitudes by opening up our 45-year archive, prioritizing deep community accountability and mutual aid, and proposing the creation of an official CoCA Alumni Association to honor the labor of those who built us.

Read Val's full Directional Statement here: https://www.cocaseattle.org/mission

CALL FOR ARTISTS: The World is WatchingCoCA invites artists to submit work for a series of pop-up exhibitions exploring ...
05/12/2026

CALL FOR ARTISTS: The World is Watching

CoCA invites artists to submit work for a series of pop-up exhibitions exploring the global phenomenon of the world’s most popular sport. Curated by Jimmy Quatier, this show looks at the "beautiful game" as a mirror for contemporary society, capturing its immense cultural energy alongside its complex socio-political realities.

We are looking for work that engages with the sport in the broadest sense: from its role in building community and identity to critical perspectives on commercialism, hero worship, and global equity.

Whether your work is a direct institutional critique or an exploration of the sport's cultural footprint, we want to see your perspective.

Deadline: May 30, 2026 (11:59 PM PDT)

Exhibition Dates: June 15 – July 19, 2026

Open to: All media (Painting, Sculpture, Performance, Digital, etc.)

Vibe: Conceptual, satirical, and boundary-pushing works are highly encouraged.

📍 View the full call and submit: https://www.cocaseattle.org/calls-for-art

Address

114 Third Avenue S
Seattle, WA
98104

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+12067281980

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