Future Exhibitions

2026 Mountain Plains Contemporary Art Biennial is a juried exhibition highlighting contemporary visual art from the Mountain-Plains region of the United States. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this exhibition encourages artists to reflect on identity, place, belonging, and transformation through the lens of a region often considered the country’s heartland. All themes and media are welcome.

The 2024 Mountain Plains Contemporary Art Biennial welcomed over 5,000 visitors and provided paid residencies and teaching opportunities for seven exhibiting artists, who served as SummerART instructors, led workshops, and gave artist talks throughout the exhibition.

The Salina Art Center is a nonprofit, contemporary art and education center with the mission "to create exchanges among art, artists, and audiences that reveal life." Located in historic downtown Salina, Kansas, the Art Center is nationally recognized for its artist-first values and community-responsive programming. It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Open to visual artists working in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.

JUROR: HESSE MCGRAW

Founder and Artistic Director, Artist Venture Fund

Hesse McGraw is a nationally respected curator, writer, and cultural strategist known for artist-centered exhibitions and public art initiatives that bridge institutions and communities. Most recently Executive Director of Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, McGraw has held leadership and curatorial roles at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco Art Institute, and El Dorado. His groundbreaking work spans more than 75 exhibitions and commissions, including The Rainbow by Michael Jones McKean, The Proposal by Jill Magid, and the CAMH Court by Trenton Doyle Hancock.