Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show¬
The Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show is an annual celebration of art, artists, and community along the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Since 1956, it has brought artists from across the country together with art lovers, collectors, residents, and visitors to discover and collect original fine art and contemporary craft from over 16o artists. What began as a grassroots art sale grew into the contemporary art museum known as Virginia MOCA today, making the Boardwalk Art Show not just a Virginia Beach tradition, but the event that started it all. Free and open to the public, the show brings art beyond the museum’s walls and into the community, with the Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop.
Save the date for the 71st annual Virgina MOCA Boardwalk Art Show: October 8–11, 2027
2026 EXHIBITING ARTISTS¬
Explore over 160 artists joining us at the 70th annual Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show!
MEET THE JUDGES¬
We invite art world professionals to judge the Boardwalk Art Show each year, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to one of our most meaningful traditions. Michelle May-Curry, Ph.D. and Haley Clouser will spend the show visiting every artist booth, talking with them, and taking a close look at their work. From there, they’ll have the honor of selecting this year’s award recipients based on artistic excellence.
MICHELLE MAY-CURRY, PhD
May-Curry is a writer, professor, and curator based in Washington, DC. She serves as curator at DC’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities, where she manages the Eye Street Gallery, multiple grant programs, and the Art Bank Program, the District’s municipal collection of contemporary art. She is also faculty in Georgetown University’s master’s program in Engaged and Public Humanities. Her scholarly and curatorial work has appeared in The New York Times, American Quarterly, and exhibitions at institutions including Harvard Art Museums and the 2019 Havana Biennial. She co-edited The Routledge Companion to Public Humanities Scholarship (2024). She also recently served as one of three jurors for the Made in VA Biennial, currently on view at Virginia MOCA.
HALEY CLOUSER
Clouser is a curator and writer based in Savannah, Georgia. She serves as Assistant Curator at the Savannah College of Art and Design Museum of Art, where she has curated more than 15 solo and group exhibitions. Her independent projects have received recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts (2023) and the Andy Warhol Foundation (2022), and her writing has appeared in Burnaway, Boston Art Review, and IMPACT Magazine, among others. She received her MA in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University and her BA in History and Art History from George Mason University.
VIRGINIA MOCA ART PARK¬
31ST STREET PARK
At the Virginia MOCA ART Park sponsored by Acoustical Sheet Metal, enjoy a full weekend of family-friendly activities, including live artist demonstrations, on-stage performances, lawn games, bubbles, face painting, yoga, a Cullipher Farms pumpkin patch, hands-on art making, and interactive pop-ups from the Virginia Beach Public Library and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Saturday, October 10
10:00–11:00 AM Tidewater Classical Guitar (accompanied by Bhav Brigade Yoga on the lawn)
11:45 AM–12:45 PM Nate Sacks
1:30– 2:15 PM Twinkle Toes Performing Arts Company
3:00– 4:00 PM Little Theatre of Virginia Beach
Sunday, October 11
10:00–11:00 AM Tidewater Classical Guitar (accompanied by Bhav Brigade Yoga on the lawn)
11:45 AM–12:30 PM Twinkle Toes Performing Arts Company
1:00–1:45 PM Shark City Drum & Dance Corps.
2:15–3:00 PM Rhythm Project All-Stars
VMFA on the Road¬
The VMFA on the Road is joining us at the 70th Annual Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show October 9–11. Located along the boardwalk at 26th Street. The VMFA on the Road will be open during show hours and admission is free!
Commonwealth Brewing Co. Liquid Art Beer Garden¬
Craft Beer, Live Art, Food and Music at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront!
Located in 24th Street Park
2405 Atlantic Avenue
Join our partners Commonwealth Brewing Co. at the Liquid Art Beer Garden, located in the heart of the this year’s Annual Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show. From October 9–11, 2026, 24th Street Park will become a colorful outdoor gathering place filled with Commonwealth beer, local food trucks, live mural painting, electronic music DJ sets, dancing, games and plenty of room to relax.
Whether you are exploring the Boardwalk Art Show, planning a weekend at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront or simply looking for something fun to do with friends, the Liquid Art Beer Garden is your place to sip, dance and stay awhile.
BEER GARDEN HOURS
Friday, October 9 5:00–8:00 PM
Saturday, October 10 2:00–8:00 PM
Sunday, October 11 2:00–6:00 PM
Artist Prize Fund¬
Artists come from all over the country each year to showcase the highest caliber of fine art and contemporary craft along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. During the show, following a rigorous judging process, the top standouts are recognized for their outstanding artistic talent. Artistic excellence is the criterion for selecting the awards. The Best in Show Award, sponsored by Joan Brock, is $10,000 in 2026.
The Artist Prize Fund reflects our community’s commitment to the arts and helps make the Boardwalk Art Show a premier destination for artists nationwide. Your donation directly supports both emerging and established artists—and all Prize Fund donors are invited to the Artists’ Awards Party to celebrate with artists, supporters, and art lovers.
Be a champion of artistic achievement. Donate to the Boardwalk Art Show Artist Prize Fund today.
Volunteer¬
The Boardwalk Art Show wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of our incredible volunteers. Each year, dedicated community members and supporters from the Virginia Beach area and beyond assist in bringing the event to life, providing essential logistical support throughout the weekend, offering service and information to festival-goers, and helping to generate the lively atmosphere that makes the show so special.
Interested in volunteering at the 70th Annual Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show? Please send an email to summer@virginiamoca.org and we’ll be in touch!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS
