University of Arizona Campus Galleries records

The Galleries at the School of Art aim to educate, engender interest, and promote public discourse among University of Arizona students and faculty as well as the larger Tucson and Southern Arizona communities. Their mission is to offer career development opportunities to students and emerging artists, while increasing public understanding of contemporary art by exposing the Tucson community to a diverse range of media and thematic approaches through the Visiting Artists, Scholars and Exhibitions series and students' work.

As early as 1957 the Art Department had a small exhibition space, aptly named the Educational Gallery. Exhibiting student and faculty work, the gallery changed locations and was renamed the 101 Gallery in 1977. In 1978 with an initial gift from Joseph F. Gross, Professor of Chemical Engineering, in memory of his father, Joseph Gross, Sr. the Gallery was established.

The Joseph Gross Gallery, located on the campus of The University of Arizona across from The University of Arizona Museum of Art, was built in 1993 as part of the new Arts Complex for the College of Fine Arts.

The Gallery mission has evolved over time but has remained true to its core goal to bring contemporary art to the university and the greater Tucson area. Since the gallery's inception, there have been efforts to show work that integrates vastly different disciplines within the arts and to pursue interdisciplinary exhibitions that bridge the gap of traditional and nontraditional art. The two-fold mission is to offer career development opportunities to students and emerging artists, while increasing public understanding of contemporary art by presenting a diverse range of media and thematic approaches from internationally recognized art leaders beyond the community.

The Lionel Rombach Gallery is devoted entirely to the exhibition of student work. Undergraduate and graduate students are provided this space to realize their artistic visions and gain experience working with gallery professionals. Students in the gallery management course learn practical skills under the guidance of the galleries' curator, while installing exhibitions, developing promotions, and monitoring the space.

The Union Galleries in the Student Union offer a unique collection that features a variety of media, which is on display year round. The Union Galleries have served the community since 1973 by exposing students, employees of The University of Arizona, and off campus visitors to original art by regionally and nationally prominent artists. The galleries heighten awareness of both current and ongoing issues as well as creative processes, which encourage open dialogue and personal introspection. Students are welcome to work directly with the Union Galleries Curator to gain experience in hands on gallery management.