CWAC Exhibitions (CWAC Exh) supports student- and course-curated exhibitions in the halls of the Cochrane-Woods Art Center. This opportunity is open to College and Graduate students and instructors across all departments. For student-curated proposals, at least one curator must be a current UChicago student. For course-based proposals, the exhibition must be woven into the syllabus and overall workload for the course.
The CWAC Exh program draws on the Joel Snyder Materials Collection (JSMC), artwork by student artists, and other artworks & objects that are safe to borrow and display in our context.
For more information, please review the CWAC Exhibitions Evaluation Criteria and Notes. We invite you to complete the CWAC Exhibitions Call for Proposals online form or to email the CWAC Exh team to set up a consultation to discuss your idea.
Potential Exhibition Spaces
CWAC Exhibitions offers several potential options for installations and display, including:
- Select wall locations in CWAC hallways, stairwells, and the departmental lounge (CWAC 166). For matted works, standard frames in black and blond wood are available in standard dimensions.
- Two rectangular display cases on the second floor, one outside the Visual Resources Center, and one in the center hallway. Each case has an interior display space approximately 7-¾ inches high, with overall dimensions of 2 x 4 feet.
- With optional wood tops, the display cases can alternatively be used as a floating plinth or shelf for sculpture or other installations
- A 65” 4K monitor in the seating area at the top of the east stairwell, with speaker and sound dome; can play .mp4 and .mp3 files
- A locked, letterboard display case at the bottom of the west stairwell (with two 19 x 13-¼” viewing areas)
If you have ideas for other spaces or display modalities not listed here, please describe them in your proposal. All installation sites will be approved by the CWAC Exh team in conjunction with the CWAC Building Manager. Please include any specifics you can for objects and layout in your proposal for our evaluation. 3D models of the Cochrane-Woods Art Center prepared by Owen Hoffer are available via SketchUp 3D Warehouse to assist your curatorial planning process for the first and second floors of the building.
Please keep in mind that select exhibition locations, including monitor and display cases, are located on the second floor of Cochrane-Woods Art Center and accessible only by stairs. During the academic year when courses are in session, the Cochrane-Woods Art Center is open Monday–Friday 8:30am–5pm, and Wednesdays until 8pm. The building and exhibition display spaces are not regularly monitored or guarded, and during the work week, the CWAC Exh team will conduct a brief, daily visual walk-through of the exhibition space. For more information and considerations, please review the CWAC Exhibitions Loan Agreement.
Potential Options for Interpretation, Design, Events
CWAC Exhibitions (CWAC Exh) is a collaborative endeavor; the CWAC Exh Team will work with curators and artists on all phases of the exhibition, from development through installation and archiving. CWAC Exh offers a variety of options for interpretation, design, promotion, events, outreach, and more. Potential options include:
- Wall labels
- Vinyl title and intro panels
- Brochure or booklet, or other ephemera exhibition attendees are invited to take with them (printed in-house)
- Poster (professionally printed)
- Standard website
- LUNA archive
- Opening/closing celebration
- Artist/curator walk-throughs, talks, or other events
If you’re interested in something that’s not on this list, please share your ideas with us. Each accepted proposal has different requirements for installation, preparation, interpretation, design, and beyond. For selected exhibitions, CWAC Exh will discuss the budget and support we can offer based on the curators’ priorities, overall expenses, intangible costs, and other considerations.