Exhibitions

A place for art and exploration

The Cook Center in Maxwell Hall is home to the Process Gallery, a dedicated exhibition space, and the Grand Hall, a multi-use event and exhibition space. Exhibitions presented in these spaces highlight new work from current IU faculty members, students, and alumni, as well as community artists.

Throughout the year, the Cook Center presents exhibitions curated by and featuring the work of faculty members, visiting artists, and community members to give our guests a glimpse into the diversity of creative expression and experimentation that define the arts scene at IU Bloomington.

Visitor Info

Current Exhibits

Jewel in the Crown: The IU African American Dance Company’s 50-Year Shining Legacy in Stills & Moving Images

OPEN MARCH 28, 2025 - MAY 9, 2025, MONDAY - FRIDAY 12-4 PM

Since 1974, the African American Dance Company (AADC) has been a precious jewel in the IU crown. This unique institution has affected the lives of thousands of students throughout its 50 year history and continues to provide opportunities for students and audiences alike to engage in meaningful dialogue and shared experience through dance. the AADC is a valuable cultural resource and ambassador of Black dance performance, African American and African diasporic aesthetics and culture, embodied research, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, robust student leadership, and creative scholarship.

This is a retelling of the AADC story that otherwise has not been told, via photographs, videos, attire/costuming, and archival materials from our 50 years. Though our story has been told by the keepers of our history (alumni, students, directors, and staff), this exhibit is an opportunity to create new art and expand our history in a fresh, new way by sharing the ongoing legacy of the AADC and its standing as a treasure in Black diasporic dance and culture at IU, across the Midwest, U.S. and globe.

Opening Reception: April 4th from 5-8 PM
Special Open Hours: April 11th-12th, 12-7 PM

Call for art graphic.

Granfalloon 2025 Exhibition Call for Art

The IU Arts & Humanities Council is seeking Bloomington-based and regional artists to apply for an exhibition running from May 27th – July 3rd in Bloomington, IN as part of the Granfalloon Festival.

Request for proposals
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST, Monday, April 7, 2025

Details:
The Indiana University Arts and Humanities Council is excited to announce an open call for artworks for our Granfalloon 2025 Exhibition in the Cook Center for Public Arts & Humanities. The exhibition will showcase works by local artists in communication with the themes and ideas of the Granfalloon festival. This year’s festival will take place April – June 2025 and will align with the primary themes of Vonnegut’s novel Cat's Cradle.

The themes for the 2025 Granfalloon Festival come from Cat’s Cradle. Themes from the book include science and morality, religion and government, environmental issues, absurdity and meaninglessness, war and pacifism, games, play, and dark humor. Artworks should address at least one of these or connect with the novel/Vonnegut's work in general

Submission Requirements:

1-2 artworks, with images and info about the work
Artist bio/statement
Artist Resume/CV
Connection to the festival and Kurt Vonnegut

All requested items should be delivered in the application form available here.

Photo courtesy of Garrett Ann Walters.

More info about the curator of the exhibit:
Elliot Josephine Leila Reichert is an American curator, critic, and editor. She is the inaugural Curator of Contemporary Art at the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University and was a 2023-24 Propel Fellow with the Association of Art Museum Curators Foundation. She was formerly Art Editor of Newcity and Assistant Curator at the Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University. She has curated and assisted in developing critically celebrated exhibitions in the United States and abroad. Her critical writing has been published in the Journal of Visual Studies, Hyperallergic, the Brooklyn Rail, Newcity Art, and The Seen, among others. She holds dual masters' degrees in Modern and Contemporary Art History and Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelors of Arts with Honors in Art History from Northwestern University, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Apply to Exhibit with Us!

Are you interested in exhibiting in our space? We encourage all interested artists/groups to fill out the application form below for exhibition consideration.

We are currently taking new applications from May 1st - August 1st.

Spaces available for exhibiting: The Grand Hall, the Process Gallery, and in display cases in the hallway outside of the gallery.

Please contact the Exhibitions Coordinator, Bethany Habegger, (bhabegge@iu.edu) with further questions regarding exhibitions.

Exhibition Application Form