Show Your Work On & Off Campus
In addition to participating in thesis or culminating shows at SAIC Galleries or applying for exhibitions at the student-run SITE Galleries, students may apply for exhibition opportunities in the Sharp Building’s Wabash Window and in other alternative spaces around campus through the INCUBATOR exhibition program. SAIC Galleries also offers a juried exhibition opportunity in the summer called New Work that is open to currently enrolled students. Information about additional exhibition and presentation opportunities are periodically posted to this page; check back often!
All exhibitions and events are subject to Art School Considerations, as well as a final safety and security review before opening. The ASC Committee is comprised of representatives from the following departments: Student Affairs and Campus Life, Exhibitions, IRFM, Security, Health and Safety, DEI, the Academic Dean's Office, and Legal.
Organizing Off-Campus Exhibitions and Programs
On occasion SAIC faculty and student groups self-organize programs and exhibitions of student work in off-campus spaces, SAIC requires that such projects follow specific guidelines for approval. Please see the SAIC policy guidelines and checklist.
INCUBATOR
INCUBATOR, a division of the Department of Exhibitions and Exhibition Studies, gives currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate, Low-Res, and post-bacc SAIC students opportunities to share their work across campus in non-traditional exhibition formats. These alternative spaces offer room to engage in exhibition-making from new and creative approaches. We encourage students to use INCUBATOR as an opportunity for experimentation and to share your practice with the SAIC community.
The spring 2025 deadline is April 18 at 11:59 p.m. for the fall 2025 season. Watch for the fall 2025 application to open in October 2025 to propose artwork for the spring 2026 season. You will be able to find the link to the application here.
INCUBATOR is run by a team of graduate curatorial assistants working for the Department of Exhibitions and Exhibition Studies who facilitate independently submitted student proposals and lead collaborative curatorial projects.
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The Wabash window and the first floor lobby of the Sharp Building are the primary spaces designated for INCUBATOR projects. We encourage current SAIC students from all degree programs to apply for our two to three exhibition slots during the fall and spring semesters through SlideRoom. Please follow us at @saic.incubator to learn more on when to apply.
Students, faculty, and staff are often interested in installing two week exhibitions on campus that are outside of the school’s galleries spaces. These alternative locations offer possibilities for experimentation and engagement in exhibition-making on a first come first serve basis. Exhibitions can include an individual’s work, multiple artists, or a class project.
Please reach out to saicINCUBATOR@saic.edu and a member of the Exhibitions staff will schedule a meeting with you to discuss your proposal and reserve the space you are interested in; in the case a space is not available, they will suggest other spaces or alternative times that might be possible.Applications can take several weeks for approval and planning, and it is recommended that you contact us at least three weeks before the expected installation date.
Some applications and artworks may be reviewed by Art School Considerations (ASC) during the proposal review, inquiry process or after a proposal/artwork has been accepted to determine if a project may present a health, safety, legal or other type of concern. Any performance proposals or installation revisions that require ASC approval may not be supported after posted ASC deadline. -
Graduate Curatorial Assistants (GCAs) support departmental, course-related, and student driven projects through the Exhibitions Department. INCUBATOR GCAs review submissions, coordinate projects, and also have the opportunity to initiate curated exhibition projects and programs that include work by artists who have submitted proposals or that they find themselves. These projects receive an additional level of curatorial and installation support from GCAs. Co-learning is a guiding tenet of INCUBATOR, and as such, GCAs are always available for ongoing feedback and collaboration throughout the exhibition-making process. If you are interested in learning more about the INCUBATOR GCA program, please email Joseph Josué Mora, assistant director of Exhibitions and staff advisor to SITE Galleries and INCUBATOR at jmora1@saic.edu.
NEW WORK
Summer Group Exhibition at SAIC Galleries
The New Work exhibition showcases innovative projects by currently enrolled SAIC students from all departments each summer. Presented by the Department of Exhibitions and Exhibition Studies and organized by staff and graduate curatorial assistants (GCAs).
ELIGIBILITY:
The 2025 applications have closed.
Submissions should reflect the artist’s development. Applicants should submit examples of past work, which will allow the jury to assess artistic growth and rank submissions accordingly. Additionally, applicants may also include proposals for new work or works-in-progress from the past year. These proposals should either build upon past work, demonstrating continued practice and refinement, or introduce a new direction or area of interest.
Selected artists must be available in Chicago in person for installation during the assigned dates.
SELECTION:
Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of esteemed faculty members from the Exhibitions & Exhibition Studies Committee. A total of 10 artists with the highest rankings will ultimately be selected to participate in this exhibition opportunity.