2023-24 Call for Proposals

Quad City Arts invites artists residing within a 250-mile radius of Rock Island, IL (most of Iowa, Illinois, parts of Wisconsin and Missouri) to submit proposals for gallery exhibitions during 2023-24. Selected artists will be paired with one or two additional artists for a 2-month long exhibition between September 2023 and August 2024 in one of two large exhibit spaces. Cohesive bodies of work are highly desired, and all media will be considered. All exhibited work will be featured in the online sales gallery.

Quad City Arts operates two gallery spaces. The Rock Island Gallery occupies a 1908 department store space near the Mississippi River with 1,500 square feet of exhibition space and 106 running feet of wall space, featuring original wood floors, a 14-foot high tin ceiling, and a wall of windows facing the river. This space is ideal for large work (2D and 3D), cutting edge or experimental work, very small work requiring close-up viewing, installation work, performance art, and nudes. A free public reception for artists is held. The Art at the Airport Gallery is located in the Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, IL, with 1,600 square feet of exhibition space behind floor-to-ceiling glass panels with a 4-foot depth. It can accommodate works up to 7 feet tall and sculptures 4 feet wide, with numerous electrical outlets and controlled lighting ideal for neon or video work. Over 2 million visitors pass through annually. Due to the public nature of this space, no nudity or highly controversial works will be displayed, and no public receptions are currently held.

Eligibility is open to all artists over 18 residing within 250 miles of Rock Island, Illinois. Exhibition pieces must have been completed in the last 3 years and not previously shown at Quad City Arts. Most exhibited work should be for sale. 2D work must be framed for exhibition unless gallery wrapped canvas is used. Entry fee is $10. Deadline: January 8, 2023. Notification: February 17, 2023. Applicants must submit a brief proposal stating the overall theme, idea, or inspiration behind their work, indicate how many pieces they would have ready if selected, and give the range of sizes of their pieces. Submit 6 images to represent the proposed body of work. For group proposals with up to 6 artists, each artist must fill out an application and state who they wish to show with.