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What About Rodman Hall?
Deadline for submissions:
Thursday 24 March at 5PM at NAC

As an art gallery, Rodman Hall’s place in the consciousness of our community has fluctuated over its fifty-five-year history. The art gallery has at times been a proud emblem of civic health and an indicator of our collective progress, while at other times it has been misunderstood and purposefully marginalized.

The history of the Niagara Artists Centre and Rodman Hall are intertwined. Rodman Hall’s founding curator and director, Peter Harris, was one of NAC’s founding sixteen members. NAC also made an early home in the Coach House on the grounds of Rodman.

The place of the Rodman Hall Art Centre in our community is once again the subject of deliberation. Brock University, which in 2003 pledged to be the sole operator of the art gallery for twenty years, is now reconsidering the terms of its supporting role.

Why is it that our community leaders have not always recognized the value of having a strong, well-resourced public or university art gallery like Rodman Hall?

NAC is interested in the ideas that the visual artists of Niagara would like to share about Rodman, an organization that is mandated to support the development of artists and cultural workers in southern Ontario, as well as providing art experiences that enrich peoples’ lives.

What is the role of a public gallery such as Rodman in a community like ours?

What will the future of Rodman Hall look like?

What should our community leaders recognize about the value of an art gallery such as Rodman Hall?

The Rodman Hall website includes a thorough history of the gallery. Artists are encouraged to visit the site. We’re also going to organize an opportunity for those interested to go over to Rodman and poke around, dig into the permanent collection, and that kind of thing.

Finished works will be accepted at NAC for consideration by the Programming Committee from Saturday 19 March until Thursday 24 March at 5PM.

Artists are also expected to submit an artist statement of no more than 250 words along with a short biography not exceeding 150 words.

The group exhibition, tentatively titled, What About Rodman Hall?, will open with a reception on Friday 1 April at 8PM in the Show Room Gallery at the Niagara Artists Centre, 354 St. Paul Street, downtown St. Catharines.

Artists with works accepted for exhibition will be paid at rates above those recommended by the Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective (CARCC).

Questions about the exhibit can be directed to Stephen Remus at the Niagara Artists Centre minister@nac.org. Please include What About Rodman Hall? in the subject line.