Community Calendar

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Ella Kraimer: Appearances, a world-premiere exhibition of large-scale photographs. Kraimer transforms herself into a cast of fictional personas through striking self-portraits, using secondhand garments gathered from thrift stores across the country. Layered with irony, humor, and cultural critique, she explores the blurred boundaries between authenticity and performance, memory and invention, self and society.

Previously viewed only as a digital project, Appearances reflects on life in an age of social media, image culture, and spectacle. Inspired by childhood memories of paper dolls, Kraimer fragments and reconstructs her own likeness through costume, collage, and assemblage. At once playful and provocative, Appearances invites viewers to reconsider not only the images we create, but the stories they tell about who we are.

Kraimer spent her formative years in Berlin, Germany and is now based in New Bremen, Ohio. She earned a BA in Design and Visual Communication from the University of Europe for Applied Sciences, Berlin, and an MA in Visual and Media Anthropology from HMKW University of Applied Sciences for Media, Communication, and Management, Berlin.

Ella Kraimer: Appearances is part of the 2026 FotoFocus Biennial: The Long View. Now in its eighth iteration, the Biennial activates over 70 exhibitions at museums, galleries, universities, and public spaces throughout Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky.

Waffle Shop is a 90+ year tradition at Christ Church. We raise funds through the sale of our beloved waffle lunches, and then grant 100% of the proceeds to small local non-profits benefiting our brothers & sisters living on the margins in our community. In 2024 we awarded more than $13,000 in grants to 15 local organizations making a difference in our community. A great lunch for a good cause! 
NEW DATES IN 2026:
We are so anxious to serve you this year that we moved the dates one week earlier, to Wednesday, November 11 - Friday, November 14 from 11am til 2pm, and - new for 2026 - Saturday, November 14 from 9:30am til 1pm.

Take part in a self-guided geocache-style passport adventure to explore 12 meaningful locations across Kettering, each connected to an America 250 Ohio monthly theme. Pick-up a passport at select locations to get started!

More information and passport locations are at http://www.ketteringoh.org/america-250-kettering-passport

Waffle Shop is a 90+ year tradition at Christ Church. We raise funds through the sale of our beloved waffle lunches, and then grant 100% of the proceeds to small local non-profits benefiting our brothers & sisters living on the margins in our community. In 2024 we awarded more than $13,000 in grants to 15 local organizations making a difference in our community. A great lunch for a good cause! 
NEW DATES IN 2026:
We are so anxious to serve you this year that we moved the dates one week earlier, to Wednesday, November 11 - Friday, November 14 from 11am til 2pm, and - new for 2026 - Saturday, November 14 from 9:30am til 1pm.

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Stacy Kranitz: Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down, the culmination of a landmark multi-year project that challenges long-held stereotypes of Appalachia by Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Stacy Kranitz.

Featuring more than 40 photographs drawn from historical archives, Kranitz’s own images, historical texts, installations, and an accompanying film, the exhibition examines how Appalachia has been represented—and misrepresented—across generations. Together, these works reveal a region shaped by myth, exploitation, resilience, and the uneasy tension between representation and reality.

The exhibition’s title references the gospel song “Ain’t No Grave,” made famous by Johnny Cash, evoking the resilience and resistance that run throughout the project. Recipient of the prestigious Images Vevey Book Award, Kranitz has published a companion monograph, available for purchase in The Contemporary Dayton’s CoSHOP.

Born in Kentucky and based in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, Kranitz is the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship, among many other awards. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and is held in numerous public collections.

Stacy Kranitz: Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down is part of the 2026 FotoFocus Biennial: The Long View. Now in its eighth iteration, the Biennial activates over 70 exhibitions at museums, galleries, universities, and public spaces throughout Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky.

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Ella Kraimer: Appearances, a world-premiere exhibition of large-scale photographs. Kraimer transforms herself into a cast of fictional personas through striking self-portraits, using secondhand garments gathered from thrift stores across the country. Layered with irony, humor, and cultural critique, she explores the blurred boundaries between authenticity and performance, memory and invention, self and society.

Previously viewed only as a digital project, Appearances reflects on life in an age of social media, image culture, and spectacle. Inspired by childhood memories of paper dolls, Kraimer fragments and reconstructs her own likeness through costume, collage, and assemblage. At once playful and provocative, Appearances invites viewers to reconsider not only the images we create, but the stories they tell about who we are.

Kraimer spent her formative years in Berlin, Germany and is now based in New Bremen, Ohio. She earned a BA in Design and Visual Communication from the University of Europe for Applied Sciences, Berlin, and an MA in Visual and Media Anthropology from HMKW University of Applied Sciences for Media, Communication, and Management, Berlin.

Ella Kraimer: Appearances is part of the 2026 FotoFocus Biennial: The Long View. Now in its eighth iteration, the Biennial activates over 70 exhibitions at museums, galleries, universities, and public spaces throughout Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky.

Join us for the November Gem City Luxe Market: Sip & Shop at Events at the Gallery in downtown Dayton!

Spend your Saturday evening shopping a curated selection of local makers, artisans, and small businesses while enjoying drinks in a beautiful, art-filled setting. Discover unique jewelry, handcrafted goods, art, self-care products, holiday gifts, and more.

Whether you're getting a head start on holiday shopping or planning a fun night out with friends, Sip & Shop is the perfect opportunity to shop local, discover something new, and enjoy an evening downtown.

Saturday, November 14, 2026
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Events at the Gallery
12 W. First Street, Dayton, OH 45402

Free admission! Drinks available for purchase.

Shop small. Sip slowly. Discover something special.

Take part in a self-guided geocache-style passport adventure to explore 12 meaningful locations across Kettering, each connected to an America 250 Ohio monthly theme. Pick-up a passport at select locations to get started!

More information and passport locations are at http://www.ketteringoh.org/america-250-kettering-passport

Saving Abigail is a gripping true story of courage, resilience, and the extraordinary power of family in the face of unimaginable tragedy. On October 7, 2023, three year-old Abigail Mor Edan’s world was shattered when Hamas terrorists attacked her Israeli community, murdering her parents and abducting her into Gaza. Alone, vulnerable, and held hostage amid a rapidly escalating conflict, Abigail became one of the many innocent victims caught in a devastating geopolitical crisis. Refusing to accept the unthinkable, Abigail’s great-aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali, launched an urgent and relentless campaign to bring her home. With no diplomatic training, political influence, or blueprint to follow, Liz navigated the highest levels of government, rallied bipartisan support, and captured international attention with Abigail’s heartbreaking story.

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Stacy Kranitz: Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down, the culmination of a landmark multi-year project that challenges long-held stereotypes of Appalachia by Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Stacy Kranitz.

Featuring more than 40 photographs drawn from historical archives, Kranitz’s own images, historical texts, installations, and an accompanying film, the exhibition examines how Appalachia has been represented—and misrepresented—across generations. Together, these works reveal a region shaped by myth, exploitation, resilience, and the uneasy tension between representation and reality.

The exhibition’s title references the gospel song “Ain’t No Grave,” made famous by Johnny Cash, evoking the resilience and resistance that run throughout the project. Recipient of the prestigious Images Vevey Book Award, Kranitz has published a companion monograph, available for purchase in The Contemporary Dayton’s CoSHOP.

Born in Kentucky and based in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, Kranitz is the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship, among many other awards. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and is held in numerous public collections.

Stacy Kranitz: Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down is part of the 2026 FotoFocus Biennial: The Long View. Now in its eighth iteration, the Biennial activates over 70 exhibitions at museums, galleries, universities, and public spaces throughout Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky.