Our program features ambitious and experimental art exhibitions, artist talks, screenings and discussions. We work with a range of professional artists, from those who are just beginning to emerge in their career, to internationally renowned and established artists. See our calendar of upcoming events below.
The UIS Visual Arts Gallery is an inclusive space for everyone to explore and enjoy. All events are free and open to the public.
Upcoming Exhibitions & Events
UIS Visual Arts Gallery Silent Auction and Benefit
Celebrating 50 Years of the UIS Visual Arts Gallery
Reception: Thursday, December 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Auction items will be on display at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery from December 1st - 4th for in-person viewing.
The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) Visual Arts Gallery is proud to celebrate its 50th anniversary with its annual silent auction and benefit. This annual fundraising event features a diverse collection of original art, reproductions, decorative objects and crafts donated by artists and community supporters. This year’s auction will be held both online and in person, making it easy for collectors and supporters across the region to take part.
The auction opens online Nov. 10, with bidding available through 7 p.m. on Dec. 4. Auction items will be on display at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery from Dec. 1-4 for in-person viewing. A final bidding reception will take place at the gallery from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 4. All bids must be placed through the auction website.
This year marks a major milestone for the Visual Arts Gallery, established in 1975 and a cornerstone of contemporary art in Springfield for five decades. Since moving to its current location in the Health and Sciences Building in 1992, the gallery has continued to present ambitious exhibitions by emerging and established artists while providing opportunities for UIS students to engage directly with professional art practice.
As the gallery prepares for an exciting move to a new space at UIS, community participation in the silent auction is more important than ever. Proceeds directly support gallery programming, visiting artists and student exhibitions.
“This milestone is both a celebration and a moment of transition,” said Allison Lacher, director of the UIS Visual Arts Gallery. “As we look toward our move into a new space, engaging in the auction is the best way for our community to support the gallery’s future. Every bid directly sustains the artists, exhibitions and student opportunities that make our work possible.”
Sherwin Ovid
Monday, January 12th - Thursday, February 19, 2026
Reception: Thursday, January 22nd, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Ovid is a visual artist born in Trinidad that earned his Bachelors degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He was a Lincoln Fellow in 2013 at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he received his MFA. He currently teaches as an Assistant professor at Northwestern University and University of Illinois at Chicago. His commercial endeavors include collaborations with Lee Daniel’s Netflix feature The Deliverance, Lena Waithe’s Showtime drama The Chi, and Jordan Peele’s Monkey Paw Studio remake of Candyman directed by Nia DaCosta.