OPEN DOOR GALLERY @ WAM

Located inside the worcester art museum

Designed as a partnership between Worcester Art Museum, Seven Hills Foundation, and Open Door Arts,
ODG@WAM is a working studio and gallery that exhibits and celebrates the work of aspiring, emerging and established artists with disabilities, acting as a catalyst for community convening and conversation with the museum and beyond.

CURRENT EXHIBIT

"Repeat After Me"

On view: March 6, 2026–May 16, 2026

Exhibit Opening: Thursday April 16 from 4:30 - 7:00 PM. Featuring artist Talks and a drop-in art activity.

Click Here for the Audio Tour

Click Here for the Virtual Tour

Click Here for a Screen Reader Friendly Virtual Tour

Featured Artists

Delia Harrington
erika schwarz
Jacoba Niepoort
Jess Skyleson
Marcus Clarke
Sam Fein
Tim de Christopher
Timothy Hyunsoo Lee

About the Exhibit

Repeat: 1. Say again, 2. Say from memory, 3. To make or do again, 4. To express or present oneself again.

We are the experts in our own experiences. This exhibition positions the artist as a teacher. Through painting, fiber, sculpture, and video, these artists assert themes of connection, embodiment, mapping, community, and identity.

These 8 artists were selected by our Gallery Committee through an open call process to which 75 artists applied. Together through their diverse mediums, processes, and experiences, the exhibition serves as a rich meditation on agency and return.

a digital print of long, tear-shaped senescent Sumac leaves in a grid. The leaves are in various stages of color shifts due to stress. The shifting hues of the leaves are reminiscent of fall: yellow, red, orange, and green. Their unique patterns make visible the stresses of marginalization and of environmental degradation.

"The Unseen Spectrum of Stress" by Erika Schwarz

a black pen and ink drawing with a texture of scribble lines. In the middle is a rendering of the artist, one hand covering their face, the other outstretched. Behind them, in the scribble lines, is a large looming shadow with its hands and arms raised.

"Multitudes" by Jacoba Niepoort

A large neon orange and white road blockade features an LED screen with the words "Are you suffering?" On the right side of the blockade is a shimmery gold emergency blanket and a pile of gold confetti underneath it.

"Suffering Blockade" by Marcus Clarke

A large square canvas collaged with delicate and detailed diamond shapes made of cut paper that has gold spray paint or gold leaf affixed to them. They create a shimmery repetitive surface.

"I dreamt of mugunghwas again" by Timothy Hyunsoo Lee

AUDIO TOUR

Below is an audio tour that contains descriptions of the larger series in the exhibitions, reflections from the artists about the art, and image descriptions of all the artworks in order of appearance in the gallery.

VIRTUAL TOUR

Now you can enjoy the Open Door Gallery from anywhere! We’re excited to offer virtual gallery tours for all of our exhibitions. Whether you’re unable to visit us in Worcester or prefer to experience the show from home, our virtual gallery provides an accessible way to explore the artwork, exhibitions, and audio tour.

Click Here For a Virtual Tour of This Exhibit

GALLERY COMMITTEE

in 2024, to ensure that multiple voices inform our vision and decision-making, we created a paid Gallery Committee to help design and juror calls for art and advise on best practices to create an accessible, inclusive and representative gallery space. Along with their guidance, we are also forming deeper relationships with disabled artists throughout the state, disability organizations, and the broader community.

The committee includes Jeff Kasper, Gordon Sasaki, and Dominic Quagliozzi (who all identify as disabled artists), Megan Bent (Open Door Arts Gallery and Communications Manager) and Samantha Cataldo (Curator of Contemporary Art at WAM).

LOCATION AND HOURS

The Open Door Gallery @ WAM is located in the Higgins Education Wing of the Worcester Art Museum, at:
55 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609

Hours:
The gallery is open during regular museum hours,
Wednesday – Sunday: 10 am-4 pm
Third Thursday of every month: 10 am-8 pm

The Open Door Gallery @ WAM is located in the Higgins Education Wing of the Worcester Art Museum. The gallery can be accessed through the Lancaster Street entrance of WAM or through the Tuckerman Street entrance.

The gallery is at the end of the first floor of the Higgins Wing. During warmer months, it can also be accessed directly through the Lancaster courtyard, where there is a ramp and switch-operated double doors.

We are committed to making the gallery experience as accessible as possible by featuring tactile representations of artworks, large print and Braille signage and texts, audio description, and virtual alternatives, as well as providing ASL interpreters and sighted guides for all events. Please contact for access-related questions or requests.

We are proud to participate in the Card to Culture program, a collaboration between Mass Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Health Connector, and WIC Nutrition Program, by broadening accessibility to cultural programming.

Admissions to our Open Door Galleries and related events is free. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders will receive free admission to any ticketed events. See the full list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.