School Notes: School of Art
January/February 2026

Spring 2026 MFA thesis exhibitions

Please join us during the Spring 2026 semester for thesis exhibitions in all four areas of graduate study, alongside an undergraduate thesis show. 

Graduating painting/printmaking MFAs begin the exhibition series with a show in two parts: Group 1 will be installed January 17–27 with a public reception on January 23; Group 2 will be open February 7–17, with a public reception on February 13. Sculpture MFAs follow with a two-part show, the first running February 28–March 9 with a public reception on March 6, and the second part March 21–29 with a public reception on March 27. The MFA Thesis Exhibition in Graphic Design follows, April 9–17, with a public reception on April 17. Then, the graduating art majors at Yale College stage their undergraduate show April 26–May 3, with a public reception on May 1. Finally, the graduating MFAs in photography will present their thesis work May 12–19, with a public reception on May 15.

The Yale School of Art Spring 2026 receptions are open to the public and take place on Fridays, 6–8 p.m. During all other gallery hours, exhibitions are open only to the Yale community (current ID holders) and their invited accompanied guests. Please consult our public events calendar at yaleart.org/publicevents for more information.

2026 open studios

The School of Art will host its annual graduate open studios on April 11 and 12. Featuring work from the departments of graphic design, painting/printmaking, photography, and sculpture, open studios offers the public the opportunity to witness firsthand the working processes of the students at the School of Art. Studios will be open to the public and are located across four buildings on Yale’s campus in downtown New Haven. The two-day event is complemented by a series of community-organized programming; a full schedule will post on the 2026 Open Studios website when it launches in March at yaleart.org/openstudios.