• The RBSC is open to SAIC faculty, students, and staff by appointment. Email rbsc@saic.edu to make an appointment for an individual or small group visit. To schedule a class visit, see the section below.
• The RBSC can host individuals, classes, and departmental meetings and receptions on weekdays and weekday evenings, based on staff availability.
• Class visits and tours are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The RBSC is occasionally staffed on weekends and may be open with advance notice.
• The SAIC community is encouraged to bring visiting artists, colleagues, family, and friends to visit the collection. A little advance notice is advised.
Class visits
Class visits can include a guided exploration of the collection; a focused exploration of artists, objects, concepts, and histories in it; and/or access to archival materials.
To schedule a class visit:
1. Begin with the link to Class Visit Reservation Form. SUBMIT THIS FROM YOUR YOUR SAIC EMAIL; emails from other email accounts at times don't go through.
2. Follow the instructions and consult this calendar to see days/times that are already booked, or otherwise unavailable.
● Read this calendar in “day” mode, not in “week” or “month” mode; it doesn’t work well on smart phones, best on a computer.
● Class visits are scheduled in the three regular SAIC class time slots: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., 1:00–4:00 p.m., and 6:00–9:00 p.m., with an option to customize the time frame. If a time slot has been scheduled, it will indicate “booked.” We are unable to staff 3 classes in a single day, so if two slots are booked, the third reads “Unavailable.”
● If a time slot is not listed as “booked” or “unavailable,” it doesn’t guarantee that we can staff the tour, just that it’s not already booked. We try hard to accommodate the many requests for morning, afternoon, and evening class visit requests.
3. Submit your form and RBSC staff will confirm your visit. (Your visit is not confirmed until you receive a reply from RBSC staff.)
● If you’re requesting more than one class visit, please fill out a separate form for each request. Staff will be in touch to confirm your visit.
● Please send any questions to rbsc@saic.edu.
SAIC Faculty Engagement with the Roger Brown Study Collection: Crafting Your Class Visit
We encourage faculty to include investigations, projects, discussions, and/or specific interactions with the collection. You may consider scheduling a full day at the RBSC.
Class visits generally begin with a slideshow and tour by RBSC staff, followed by a studio or writing project, time to work on studio or research projects individually or in teams, followed by discussions, presentations, critiques, etc. These projects are generally planned by faculty to address their syllabi. We are glad to work with you to develop a project or plan.
RBSC staff will gladly create an orientation slide show that addresses a subject relevant to your syllabus. Please feel free to make requests. Please consider sending your syllabus to orient us to your class.
Some slideshow topics
• Object studies, “Thing Theory,” creative responses to objects
• Artists’ environments and the vernacular landscape
• Post-mainstream, nonacademic art
• Vernacular art environments
• Historic preservation
• Roger Brown, artist
• Chicago Imagist Art
• Reading the RBSC through a surrealist lens
• Home, dimensions of the domestic sphere
• Difficult histories: exploring cultural dimensions and issues of interpretation
Departmental meetings and receptions
1926/RBSC has a smart room setup, tables and chairs, hospitality areas for refreshments, and a lovely garden. Please contact RBSC staff to discuss a meeting, retreat, or reception.
PLEASE NOTE: The RBSC is located in a historic 1888 storefront building. The collection is located on the second floor and in two stairways, accessible by stairs. Our facilities are not presently fully accessible but we are actively working towards removing barriers to accommodate the specially-abled. An in-depth slide presentation with many views of the collection can be shown to anyone unable to reach the second floor. Please let us know if you have special needs in advance of your visit. Our wheelchair ramp is located on the south side of the building. A staff member will open the gate.
