Call for Artists: Rochester Art Center & History Center of Olmsted County Present New Interactive Exhibition

Application Deadline: June 20, 2025
Exhibition Dates: October 26, 2025 – March 2026
Artist Compensation: $750 – $1,500

Photo: Avalon Bar & Cafe Token

Rochester Art Center is pleased to announce an open call for artists to participate in a groundbreaking collaborative exhibition in partnership with the History Center of Olmsted County. This project invites local and regional artists to create new interactive or performative works in response to historical objects selected from the History Center’s collection.

 

 

The resulting artworks will be exhibited alongside their respective artifacts at the Rochester Art Center, offering a dynamic conversation between past and present, artifact and imagination.

 

About the Exhibition
Approximately 60 artifacts have been carefully selected by a committee of historians, curators, and community members. These objects reflect diverse local histories, including:

• Black History: Items from the Avalon Hotel, Black Historical Calendar (1976)
• Immigration: Hmong textiles, drawings of Somali community life, Filipino Rice Dance objects
• Medical: Vintage wheelchair, nursing school cape, brain model
• Indigenous Culture: Pipe bag, image of Yankton Sioux Chief “Wahktageli”
• Pride, Land, Business, IBM history, Toys, and more

 

View the full object list: Click Here

Artists are invited to interpret these objects through a contemporary lens, offering engaging, participatory experiences for visitors.

 

Who Should Apply
This call is open to artists and artist teams working in all disciplines—visual, digital, installation, textile, sound, performance, and more. Applicants must live in Southeastern Minnesota or demonstrate a strong connection to the region.

How to Apply
Submit materials via email or through the online Google Form by June 20, 2025.

Required materials include:

• Artist Statement
• Statement of Interest (including your vision for interactivity)
• Resume or CV
• Portfolio (up to 10 work samples or links—include one interactive work or proposal sketch)
• Project Budget

 

Find the Call For Artists and resources on our website: https://www.rochesterartcenter.org/call-for-artists

 

Timeline

• June 9–20: Open call
• July 1: Notification of acceptance
• July–September: Artists paired with artifacts and begin research
• October 14–16: Artwork delivery by appointment
• October 26 – March 2026: Exhibition on view

 

Artist Support
Selected artists will receive:

• Compensation ranging from $750 to $1,500
• Access to research and artifacts
• Curatorial support from Rochester Art Center and History Center staff

 

About Rochester Art Center 
Rochester Art Center is a museum of contemporary art located along the Zumbro River in the heart of historic downtown Rochester, MN. Founded in 1946, the Art Center hosts an ongoing schedule of exhibitions of work by local, regional, national, and international artists; dynamic educational programs for all ages; and an array of community partnerships and visitor engagement initiatives. Through world-class exhibitions and programs, the Art Center presents a welcoming, integrated, and diverse experience that encourages questioning, creativity, and critical thinking.

CONTACT | Kalianne Morrison, Advancement Director | kmorrison@rochesterartcenter.org

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.