opportunities for VISUAL ARTists

DISPLAYING A DIVERSE MIX OF ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING ARTISTS

Quad City Arts provides a multitude of locations to display artwork from a diverse roster of up and coming and established artists

About VISUAL ARTS Programming

Art galleries are the bridge between the artist’s brush (or camera, pencil, chisel, etc.) and the outside world. Spaces like Quad City Arts Gallery in downtown Rock Island, Art at the Airport Gallery at the Quad City International Airport, and Centre Station in Moline, showcase the work of regional artists and provide the community with a variety of artwork to purchase for their homes and offices. Quad City Arts presents artwork in a range of styles from emerging to established artists. 

Quad City Arts also provides a location for artists to sell their work. Along with selling gallery shows online, our Rock Island Gallery location includes a Gallery Store that sells artwork, jewelry, pottery, accessories, unique cards and fine wood crafted items from over 72 different local artists. Stop by and browse the Gallery Store! 

NEW! SHOP THE LATEST GALLERY SHOWS ONLINE

SHOP THE Rock Island Gallery

SHOP Art at the Airport

Please create a profile through the Café website to submit your artwork.  

SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2021

OPEN Call for EntrY 
Quad City Arts Annual Call for Proposals

Quad City Arts invites artists residing within a 250-mile radius of Rock Island, IL to submit a proposal for a gallery exhibition during 2021-22. Selected artists will be paired with one or two additional artists for a 2-month long exhibition between July 2021 through August 2022 in one of our two large exhibit spaces. Cohesive bodies of work are highly desired. All media will be considered. To enter, build a profile through the Café and submit your artwork. The entry fee is $10.

Your work will be exhibited in one of two spaces: 

• Quad City Arts’ Rock Island Gallery occupies a 1908 department store space, with the original wood floors and a 14' high, tin ceiling. The exhibition gallery has 1500 sq. feet of space and 106 running feet of wall space. There are floor-to-ceiling north facing windows looking out to the Mississippi River. This space is ideal for large work, both 2D and 3D.

• Art at the Airport Gallery is in front of the arrival/departure seating area in the Quad City International Airport, Moline. It houses 1,600 square feet of exhibition space in floor to ceiling glass cases. Numerous outlets and controlled lighting make this an ideal space for works incorporating lighting or video. It can accommodate works up to 7’ tall and sculptures 4’ wide. Over 2 million visitors pass through this space annually.

Exhibition timeline:  

• Deadline: Feb. 1, 2021
• Notification: Mar. 8, 2021

*Exhibition dates will be determined by Quad City Arts' Visual Arts committee. 

SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK

OPENING OCTOBER 15 - DECEMBER 3, 2021

Call for EntrY 
​Quarantine Art Exhibition

The title, “Quarantine Art Exhibition,” should not be considered the theme that drives your art. It only should identify when the art was created or completed. Quad City Arts would like to encourage artists to use this time to create new art and provide an opportunity to showcase it.

Quad City Arts’ plan to help regional artists stay motivated by creating artwork throughout the Quarantine which began in March 2020, will continue into 2021 with the culminating exhibition of chosen works postponed to October 2021. The plan is to share the artwork with the public when we can safely gather socially. As the pandemic wears on, it is more important than ever for people to express themselves creatively. “Art is the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos.” (Saul Bellow) 
 
All artists residing within a 250-mile radius of the Quad Cities are invited to submit up to two artworks of any medium created during the pandemic which began in March 2020, for a juried, group exhibition in Quad City Arts’ Rock Island Gallery from October 15-December 3, 2021. Artwork that was entered previously will still be considered. There is NO entry fee.
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Exhibition Timeline

• Friday, August 6, 2021: Entries for “Quarantine Art Exhibition” due by midnight using Quad City Art’s website: Quadcityarts.com 
• ​September 10, 2021: Artists will be notified of acceptance status 
• October 9, 2021: Accepted artists deliver artwork to Quad City Arts between 10-5 (mailed art must arrive by October8) 
• December 3, 2021: “Quarantine Art Exhibition” closes at Quad City Arts 
• December 4, 2021: Artists pick up work at Quad City Arts between 10-5 pm 
• Reception to be announced.

Opportunities FOR VIsual Artists

Every month Quad City Arts helps artists find gallery shows and submission opportunities in the community.
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For artists interested in participating in a gallery show or are interested in selling your artwork please contact us

DAWN
​WOHLFORD-METALLO

Visual Arts Director
309.793.1213 ext. 108

Email