Hyde Park Art Center’s exhibitions program is an incubator for artists looking to push the boundaries of their practice and whose work makes meaningful contributions to today’s social and political discourse. By enabling underrepresented artists to take risks and be entrepreneurial in their work, and giving them the broad exposure they deserve, the Art Center ensures that groundbreaking contemporary art gets made—and seen—in Chicago.
Each year, the Art Center unveils 20 exhibitions, presenting at least one of each of the following:
- a solo show of an ambitious new project by an emerging Chicago artist,
- a new project undertaken by one of our resident artists
- an exhibition from an emerging Chicago curator whose work transgresses or questions traditional curatorial conventions
- work curated by a Chicago artist experimenting with curating as a means of informing their artwork but NOT including their own work in their curated show
- new work that is conceptually distinctive or unique in use of materials by Chicago artists who are in an experimental stage of their practice
- an exhibition showcasing work by the Art Center’s own teaching artist faculty exploring a new concept, and/or by established artists who have discovered new techniques in our studio art classes
- work by established, midcareer Chicago artists on the verge of breaking through to the next level of their careers
- group shows highlighting new artists who have come up through our Education programs, like The Center Program and Art Shop; and
- submissions that fulfill one of the above criteria.
The Art Center welcomes submissions of artists’ work and curatorial proposals for group exhibitions on a rolling basis. Submissions are reviewed by the Exhibitions Committee, which consists of artists and art professionals, as well as the Art Center’s Director of Exhibitions and Executive Director. Please keep in mind that the Art Center plans its exhibitions program three seasons in advance.
To be considered for the 2021-22 exhibition season, submit an application here.
Due to a high volume of submissions and limited staff, we have streamlined our process and moved to online review. Incomplete proposals or proposals for work that falls outside our stated focus areas will not be considered. Proposals and submissions will be reviewed periodically throughout the year. For Spring Review, please submit by November 1, 2019.
