For immediate release: 2/3/2023

Geneva Foundation for the Arts to Close Center For the Arts Gallery in 2023

Geneva, IL -The Geneva Foundation for the Arts Board of Directors announces that they will be closing the Geneva Center for the Arts gallery space at 321 Stevens St. in April of 2023. The Board views this as a positive step forward, and has determined that it is in the Foundation's best financial interest to focus on programming and supporting community art initiatives. 

Despite no longer operating their own gallery space, the Geneva Foundation for the Arts will continue their relationship with the Geneva Public Library (located at 227 South 7th Street, Geneva, IL), curating art exhibitions in their lobby gallery as well as hosting art-related talks and programs. By continuing this relationship, the community will have access to free, high-quality art exhibitions and programming. The library gallery is located in the heart of Geneva's commercial and tourism district and is open 70 hours during the week, making the arts even more accessible to visitors and community members. With over 600 daily visitors to the library on average, the lobby gallery also broadens the audience for the exhibiting artists.

The Board of Directors extends its gratitude to the patrons and the community members who have supported the GCA in its current Stevens Street location, which will remain open for the first few months of 2023. The public is encouraged to attend the following events and on-going programs:

  • Prairie Passage, featuring artist Joanne Aono (Main Gallery January 3 - February 9) and This Place, This Time, a juried landscape show (Hunter W. Shodeen Enrichment Gallery, January 20 - March 2). An artist talk for this show will take place February 4th at 2pm. 

  • Transparent, Translucent, Opaque, featuring area artists Victoria Belz (glass),  Alison Balcanoff (paper) and Jill Birschbach (ceramics) in our Main Gallery, February 14 - March 19, 2023. An opening reception for this show will take place Friday, February 17th 6 - 9 PM. This event is free and open to the public.

  • Art History and Wine Tour: Greece, February 23rd from 6-9pm. Tickets available at https://genevaartscenter.org/enrichment. 

  • The SHOP at the Geneva Center for the Arts: Winter sale on its collection of affordable and functional artwork from GCA artists and other local artisans.

The Geneva Center for the Arts acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.