Alternative exhibition space since 1973.

Apply for Membership

ARC Gallery and Educational Foundation is a non-profit, artist-run cooperative gallery dedicated to providing alternative exhibition opportunities for innovative artists outside the commercial gallery system. Since 1973 ARC has given exposure and support to artists, providing an atmosphere for the continued development of artistic potential and experimentation. ARC Gallery cooperative reviews all media including video, film, installation and performance. Visual artists of all disciplines and ages are encouraged to apply. Artists must be from the Chicagoland area and willing to participate in regularly scheduled in-person activities to be in active membership. The artists will be selected by the ARC cooperative based on the quality of their work and commitment to their practice.

Benefits

  • Members are part of a dynamic group of women supporting each other.

  • Members have opportunities to exchange ideas, techniques and resources with artists and arts organizations as well as curate exhibitions, decide programming, and make an impact in the Chicago art world.

  • Each member is entitled to a solo exhibition within 18 months of joining the gallery.

  • Members participate in an annual group exhibition during Chicago Artists’ Month in October.

  • Members participate in any scheduled exchange exhibitions with other cooperatives throughout the US and abroad.

  • Each member may represent herself at the gallery with a personal publicity book and with a gallery space on the ARC website and a link to her own website.

  • Members will automatically be included in ARC’s 44 years of archives now being housed at the Ryerson Library at the Art Institute of Chicago for future scholarly research and education on Women’s Alternative Spaces in Chicago.

  • ARC takes no commission on work sold, therefore members receive the full requested value of any of their work sold.

Requirements and Responsibilities

  • All Local ARC Members are women artists and Chicagoland residents

  • All ARC Members demonstrate a consistent studio practice outside of an academic setting

  • $60 /month dues payment

  • Must be able to gallery sit for an afternoon once a month, twice on occasion when needed

  • Must be willing to participate in most monthly gallery openings, membership meetings and other special events

  • Will be asked to serve on one to two gallery committees of your choice

Application Instructions

An application fee of $30 is required to apply for membership, the cost offsets the time spent by members reviewing artwork, interviewing applicants and traveling for studio visits

Submit your application below. First upload your images. Second, complete your application form. You’ll receive an email confirmation after each step.

Exhibition Application Instructions (PDF)

Step 1. Upload Submission Files
$60.00

Before you begin, read our Exhibition Application Instructions (PDF).

STEP 1: Upload your images

  • Select 25 images you will submit. Images of accepted work may be used on ARC web site, social media, and promotional materials for publicity.

  • Label each image with: Last name, Item # of the image, Title of work, Medium, size and date. Separate with a dash. Example: daVinci-1-Mona Lisa-30x21x2”-1503. Number the images consecutively. 

  • Images must be submitted in JPG /JPEG format

  • If there is video work, include a still image of the video and the video clip of 2 minutes maximum

  • Videos must be submitted in MP4 / MOV format

  • Upload your images. They will go to a Dropbox file for review.

  • Once you are finished uploading files to Dropbox, close your Dropbox browser window. Then return to ARC’s website. 

STEP 2: Fill out the application

  • Click on “Apply & Pay Fees” 

  • Complete your personal information and address (be sure to enter your country or it won’t go forward)

  • Provide your proposal in the following sections

    • Statement of Interest. In 250 words or fewer, please outline why you are interested in joining ARC as a member?

    • Skills to contribute to the collective. List the skills you have that you can regularly commit to contributing to the gallery. Specific examples and methods are encouraged.

    • Artist Statement. Provide a recent artist’s statement of no more than 125 words that is relevant to the work being submitted. (This is not a bio.)

    • CV. Copy and paste your professional CV demonstrating at least 4 years of serious pursuit of a career in art. No more 2 pages.

    • Willingness to participate installing and de-installing monthly exhibits. Indicate yes or no.

    • Willingness to participate in a majority of the ARC monthly meetings. Indicate yes or no.

    • References. Please provide the name, position/title, and email address of two professional references who can speak  to your artistic career and your artwork. These references will not be contacted unless you are selected for an interview.

    • Confirm you uploaded your images to Dropbox by tapping “I uploaded my images”

    • Enter a label for your images- 25 images are required for membership applications.  Each should include: (a) item number; (b) title, (c) dimensions: height x width x depth, (d) mediums / materials, (e) date produced, and (f) price. Make sure you itemize your list to correlate to the #s on the images you submitted.

    • If you submitted video work, identify your artwork by listing: (a) item number; (b) title, (c) date produced. Make sure the item number in your image file name matches the item number you list in your description here.

    • If you submitted video work, you may also supply a link to a full length video

  • Click “Apply & Pay Fees”

STEP 3: Pay Fees

  • Click: “sign in”

  • Click either: “Apple pay” or “credit card”

  • Enter requested information

  • Click “continue”

  • Review information and click “Purchase”

  • Your application will not go through until you have clicked purchase.

  • If you have any payment issues, send an email message to the gallery: info@arcgallery.org.  We will sort it out for you. (Also we can refund payments that have gone awry, so don’t panic!). 

  • An email receipt will be sent by ARC Gallery after application and payment is completed 

  • Submissions will not be reviewed until payments are received

Contact Us

Please feel free to contact the gallery via email (info@ARCgallery.org) regarding membership eligibility, responsibilities or the application process.

Please note that images of accepted work will become the property of ARC Gallery and may be used for publicity.

After you submit this application form you will receive a confirmation email.

Thank you for your submission to ARC Gallery.

Calls for Art

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Call for Art: Ancestral Futures
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Curator: Donté K. Hayes

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A.R.C. Gallery proudly awards fully funded Solo Exhibitions to multiple artists each year. These exhibitions made possible by a generous grant from the Athena Foundation in support of making solo show opportunities accessible to a broader audience. Visual artists of all disciplines, ages and geographic locations are encouraged to apply. The artists are selected by the A.R.C. cooperative based on the quality of their work and commitment to their practice.

Learn More

  • What is this application for?

    This is an opportunity to apply for a full Chicago membership at ARC gallery.

    • All Local ARC Members are women artists and Chicagoland residents

    • All ARC Members demonstrate a consistent studio practice outside of an academic setting

    • $60 /month dues payment

    • Must be able to gallery sit for an afternoon once a month, twice on occasion when needed

    • Must be willing to participate in most monthly gallery openings, membership meetings and other special events

    • Will be asked to serve on one to two gallery committees of your choice

    Where is ARC located?

    Our physical gallery space is at 1463 West Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL in the heart of West Town arts district. The gallery space is on the ground floor.

    What kind of work samples should I submit?

    You can submit images, video, sound, or any other media representative of your work.

    How many work samples should I submit?

    The application will let you submit up to 25 image files and up to 5 links to time-based work (video/audio). Please do not include files that contain collages, multiple images, or compilations of work. They will not be reviewed.

  • Who is eligible to apply for membership in ARC?

    • All Local ARC Members are women artists and Chicagoland residents

    • All ARC Members demonstrate a consistent studio practice outside of an academic setting

    • $60 /month dues payment

    • Must be able to gallery sit for an afternoon once a month, twice on occasion when needed

    • Must be willing to participate in most monthly gallery openings, membership meetings and other special events

    • Will be asked to serve on one to two gallery committees of your choice

    I will be graduating this year. Am I eligible?

    Yes. In addition to those who are considered professional artists, this opportunity is open to students as well as artists without formal education in the arts. Any individual can apply for a membership with the assurance we will be judging the quality of their application on its own strength.

    How do I demonstrate that I have maintained a consistent studio practice outside of an academic setting?

    In addition to looking at work samples, we look for activity such as exhibitions, residencies, curation, art talks and awards.

  • Please feel free to contact the gallery via email (info@ARCgallery.org) should you have any questions regarding membership eligibility, responsibilities or the application process. Email messages are checked daily. If you contact the gallery by phone, please call only during hours when the gallery is open.

    ARC Gallery and Educational Foundation

    Gallery Hours: Open Thurs & Fri - 2-6pm, Sat & Sun - 12-4pm; Closed Mon-Wed.

    1463 W. Chicago Ave.

    Chicago, Illinois 60642

    info@ARCgallery.org