FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
(HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi) the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) announces a calendar of upcoming exhibits at Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum. The exhibits include collaborations with the State of Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC), and a display of recently acquired artworks for the SFCA Art in Public Places Collection.
2025 Exhibits
“Kaiāulu: Rising Together” Climate Artists in Residence Exhibit
October 3 – 31, 2025
Exhibit graphics and b-roll of gallery in Dropbox: Kaiaulu Rising Together.
The State of Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission invites the public to the opening of “Kaiāulu: Rising Together”, Saturday October 4, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. A question-and-answer session with the artists is scheduled during the event. The exhibit is a showcase of original artwork focusing on climate change issues and engaging the Climate Action Pathways in Hawai‘i by four talented local artists.
The exhibit will also be open on Friday, October 3, during the free, all-ages First Friday event from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Artwork on display was created by Gillian Dueñas, Benjamin Fairfield, Keisha Tanaka, and Erin Voss who were selected to participate in the prestigious Climate Artist in Residence program by the Hawaiʻi State Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (CCMAC) in partnership with Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program.
For more information, visit: climate.hawaii.gov/art or contact Udi Mandel Butler, CCMAC Climate Action Program Manager at [email protected].
This project aligns with the CCMAC’s mission to promote ambitious, climate-neutral, and culturally responsive strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation in Hawaiʻi.
“Bamboo to Brass: Sonic Journeys Across the Philippines” House of Gongs Fil-Am History Month display
October 1 – 31, 2025
A display of Filipino instruments and textiles during October for Filipino-American (Fil-Am) History Month. Curated by House of Gongs and Elle Karayan Designer, Lydia Querian, featuring Indigenous Filipino musical instruments from bamboo of the northern highlands to the brass gongs of the southern islands. The exhibit highlights how instruments carry memory, identity, and rhythm across generations. Ground floor glass cases across from the gift shop.
Opening during the Saturday, October 4 FiliRooted “808 x 63: Stories Between Islands” event, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Free admission, all ages welcome. Additional public events posted on the FiliRooted website: filirooted.com.
2026 Exhibits
Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) Schaefer Portrait Challenge 2025
Friday January 2 – Saturday July 4, 2026
Opening reception Saturday January 3, 2026
A signature of the MACC, the Schaefer Portrait Challenge has been held as a triennial exhibition since 2003. The Schaefer Portrait Challenge presents the unique diversity of the people of our islands through explorations in portraiture. The 2025 exhibition will travel to Oʻahu and will be on view at Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum.
2026 Art in Public Places New Accessions
A selection from recently acquired artworks for the state’s Art in Public Places Collection. Works in the collection are displayed in state government sites across Hawaiʻi. This exhibit is an opportunity for the public to get a sense of the current arts scene in Hawaiʻi. Artworks for the collection are purchased from local art exhibits.
Explore the collection in the new SFCA online database at sfca.hawaii.gov/app-art and learn more about the public art program at sfca.hawaii.gov.
Opens in July 2026 (exact dates to be announced).
Trifecta
The SFCA Art in Public Places Program, in collaboration with several local artists, presents a selection of works from the SFCA Art in Public Places Collection.
Opens Friday, February 6, 2026. Closing date to be announced.
2026 Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Student Art Awards
Saturday, February 14 – Saturday, March 14, 2026
Experience Hawaiʻi through works by Hawaiʻi teens in this annual student art competition and exhibition. The competition is open to Hawaiʻi students grades 8-12 (ages 13 and up); submissions are due by December 12, 2025. Learn more about the competition on the Hawaiʻi Art Region page of the national Art and Writing Awards website: ArtAndWriting.org/regions/HI001A
Additional information
Exhibit titles and dates may change. This is not intended to be a complete list of upcoming exhibits at the State Art Museum and additional exhibits may be added. Updates will be shared through the SFCA and Capitol Modern websites, newsletters, and social media accounts.
Museum hours have changed as of August 1, 2025. The current schedule is Wednesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., closed on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and state government holidays. Evening hours during the first and third Fridays of the month during the First Friday and Island Pulse events, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. Admission is free.
Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum is Hawaiʻi’s official state art museum, operated by the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), Hawaiʻi’s state government arts agency.
Contact
Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA)
Website: sfca.hawaii.gov
Telephone: 808-586-0300
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @HawaiiSFCA
Instagram: @Hawaii_SFCA
Email newsletter: SFCA/Capitol Modern newsletter archive
Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum
Website: CapitolModern.org
Telephone: 808-586-0900
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @CapitolModern
Instagram: @CapitolModern
Email newsletter: SFCA/Capitol Modern newsletter archive
Media Contact
Mamiko Carroll
Information Specialist, SFCA Public Information Program
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 808-586-0305
About the SFCA
The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) is Hawaiʻi’s state government arts agency. The SFCA is administratively attached to the Department of Accounting and General Services and funded by the State of Hawaiʻi and the National Endowment for the Arts.