OCEAN CITY, MD — Jan. 29, 2026 — First Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 from 5-7 p.m., celebrates six new art shows in the galleries of the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St. bayside, home of the Art League of Ocean City. The opening reception is free and open to the public. PKS Investments is sponsoring complimentary beverages.
The Thaler Gallery at the Arts Center features a signature members’ exhibit by the Delaware Watercolor Society, a group of more than 100 artists from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Signature level denotes the highest level of artistic achievement within the Society, designating those artists who consistently demonstrate a high degree of creativity, knowledge, and skill in watercolor.
In February, the Sisson Galleria features a group art show titled “Senses: Beyond Sight,” showing works in all media. The artists explored how art can evoke sensory responses without relying on vision alone, emphasizing sound, texture, or smell. Debra Howard, noted plein air artist, is judging the show, and the Art League will award cash prizes to the winners.
Devon Hall is the artist-in-residence in Studio E in February. Hall studied art at Frostburg State University, and tattooing, comics, manga, and anime have influenced his approach to his illustration and fine art projects. Hall’s primary mediums are pencils, pens, and markers.
The Schwab Spotlight Gallery in February features Cindy Strouse who strives to capture the emotion and serenity in her paintings and drawings of landscapes, people, flowers, and wildlife.
Katherine Belz exhibits in the Artisan Showcase in February. A full-time studio potter based in Berlin, she believes handmade pottery creates a connection between the maker and the user.
The Burbage Staircase Gallery features 10 years of Ocean City Film Festival posters, designed and illustrated by artist Ian Postley, that will be available for purchase. Also on display are film posters from the 100 movies being screened at the 10thseason of the Film Festival, providing a visual preview of the upcoming films. The festival returns to the resort March 5-8, 2026.
The Art League’s satellite galleries open new shows. Carol Bell exhibits her photographs of the beauty of the earth in the lobby of the Princess Royale Hotel at 9110 Coastal Hwy. Kristin Mallery Hooks of “Hearts Happen” is the artist-in-residence at the Coffee Beanery at 94th St. and Coastal Hwy., showing her photos of found hearts.
Arts Center exhibits run through March 1, 2026. Satellite gallery exhibits continue through March 29, 2026.
The Ocean City Center for the Arts at 502 94th St. is open weekdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., weekends from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and admission is free. More information is available at OCart.org or by calling 410-524-9433.
The Art League of Ocean City is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs, and community art projects. Funding for this event is in part provided by the Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
