Mesaros Galleries Policies
Physical Description
The Mesaros Galleries are two galleries located in the lobby of the Creative Arts Center on the campus of West Virginia University. They are the only professional art galleries (or art museum) in the college town of Morgantown, West Virginia. The WVU Division of Art operates the galleries within the College of Creative Arts.
The two identical spaces are approximately 25’ x 50’ with 1,000 square feet each. Discounting windows and doors, they have about 140 running feet of wall space each. The galleries are open Monday through Saturday from noon-9:30 p.m. and typically draw about 30,000 viewers per year.
Mission
Managed and programmed by the Division of Art, the galleries primarily serve the educational needs of approximately 350 art majors at WVU. The majority of these students are studio art majors and the programming focuses on bringing in contemporary artists of important or growing reputation, who work in all media, to serve as mentors and professional examples for the students. The galleries are committed to showing experimental work that is innovative, both in terms of media and in content. Occasionally, historical or thematic exhibitions are prepared by an invited curator or drawn from the resources of the University’s Art Collection to serve as teaching tools for students in the curatorial practice classes. Another goal of the programming is to enrich the cultural community of the University and of the Morgantown area through exposure to top-quality contemporary works of art. Since there is no art museum in town, the Mesaros Galleries embrace this special public function.
The curator of the Mesaros Galleries determines what 10 to 12 exhibitions will be produced each year, through consultation with Division of Art faculty and the chairperson of art. The exhibitions include Bachelor of Fine Art senior exhibitions at the end of each academic year, approximately two to four brief Master of Fine Art candidate exhibitions, and four to six curated or traveling exhibitions each year. The schedule also may include solo exhibitions by major international or national contemporary artists, solo shows by regional artists, group shows proposed by art faculty, and special or thematic shows curated by the gallery curator.
Proposals
The gallery curator accepts exhibition proposals year round. Applications should include a description of the exhibit proposed, a copy of the resume of the artist(s) or curator, slides or other visual materials that will give a sense of the work, and an indication of possible dates for the exhibition. Address proposals to: Robert Bridges, Curator, The Mesaros Galleries, Box 6111, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6111.
General Rules
- No food or drink is allowed in the Mesaros Galleries.
- Young children should be accompanied by an adult.