Local Artists Invited to Submit Art to Giertz Gallery Exhibition

All artwork must be original and submitted by April 21.

Local artists are invited to submit their artwork to be potentially featured in an upcoming summer exhibition at the Giertz Gallery at Parkland College, in collaboration with 40 North, Champaign County Arts Council.
 
The Giertz Gallery presents "Around the Block V: Artists from Our Neighborhood," a juried community exhibition of regional artists. The exhibit is open to all artists 18 years and older residing in Champaign County and counties within District 505, including Ford, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Iroquois, Livingston, Moultrie, McClean, and Vermilion.
 
All work must be original and not previously exhibited at the Giertz Gallery. Work completed under an instructor's supervision is not eligible. Only works completed after January 2023 will be accepted.

Note: Submissions are accepted online only. The submission deadline is April 21, 2025.
 
Josh Fairbanks will serve as this year’s exhibition juror. As Assistant Director of Exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), he leads undergraduate and new work exhibitions and manages SAIC Galleries. He also teaches practicum courses in exhibition studies.
 
While a student at Parkland College, he worked in the Giertz Gallery. He then studied Art History and Painting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Fairbanks is also a practicing artist.
 
"We are delighted to host our fifth ‘Around the Block’ exhibition," gallery director Lisa Costello said. "It is always a pleasure to be able to host such a community-oriented event where regional artists can exhibit their work and family, friends, and neighbors can visit the gallery and view the artwork in person. The exhibition includes works by artists from our community and some alumni. It is a survey of artists living in our area and I was pleased Josh agreed to be our juror."
 
Costello added: "Having been part of our community, he understands the importance of this exhibition and I look forward to collaborating with him again. Working with 40 North, Champaign County's Art Council, they are a valuable resource in our community, and we enjoy partnering with them to make this an even larger and more successful exhibition."
 
The exhibition is scheduled from Monday, June 9 to Wednesday, July 24, 2025. Costello and Kelly White, Executive Director of 40 North, Champaign County Arts Council, will give opening remarks at 6:15 p.m. during the reception on Thursday, June 12, 2025. There will also be a closing reception from 5:30–7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24.
 
For more information, details about the prospectus, and the link to submit an entry, please visit the Giertz Gallery at www.parkland.edu/AroundtheBlockV.
 
All events in the handicapped-accessible gallery are free and open to the public. Summer gallery hours are Monday–Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
 
To find the gallery, use the M6 parking lot on the north corner of the Parkland College campus. Enter through door X-7, turn left, and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point of the first floor to find the gallery. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area.
 
Parkland is a section 504/ADA-compliant institution. For accommodation, call 217/351-2505. Giertz Gallery acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. For more information, email giertzgallery@parkland.edu, call the gallery office at 217/351-2485, or visit the gallery website at 

www.parkland.edu/gallery.