2025 Mary S. Oakley & Lee Lindsay Area Artist Showcase
Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 – Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
Open to artists ages 18+, living in counties within 100 miles that surround Quincy, IL.
This exhibit is a juried competition. All artworks submitted will undergo a selection process conducted by a sole juror. This juror is a professional from outside the eligible region with expertise in the visual arts. The juror selects 100 pieces to go on for final display in the exhibit. Not all artworks entered will go on to be exhibited.
Eligible Counties:
Illinois Counties: Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Fulton, Greene, Hancock, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, and Warren
Iowa Counties: Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Lee, Louisa, and Van Buren
Missouri Counties: Adair, Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, and St. Louis County
Entry Requirements:
Each artist may submit up to three works. There is a $20, non refundable, entry fee per artwork. Quincy Art Center Members receive a $5 discount per artwork. This signed entry form must be turned in with the artwork. Only works delivered to the Art Center during the designated times or by appointment will be eligible. Works must not exceed 6 feet in any dimension. Works that come in after the judging process will not be eligible for this year’s competition. Artists may enter original artwork in any medium. All works must have been completed within the last three years (nothing before November 2022) and must not have been previously exhibited with the Art Center. Collaborative artwork is not eligible. The Quincy Art Center Executive Director, Director of Exhibitions, the Board President, and their family members are ineligible to enter.
We do not accept artificial intelligence-generated art (AI-ART) for the competition. Our competition is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating human creativity and artistic expression. We encourage artists to submit their original artworks that reflect their individual perspectives and creative journeys.
Delivery and Pick-Up:
All entries must be delivered and picked up by the artist or their agent during the times listed below. Shipment: Artist may ship artwork for entry. Shipment to and from the Art Center must be covered by the artist and all shipments provided with a return shipping label. Shipped artwork must adhere to all entry requirements. Shipped entries must arrive before judging in order to qualify for this year’s competition. An accepted list will be emailed to all artists who entered no later than November 7th at 5 p.m. Artworks left two month past the pick-up date, March 7, 2026, may be disposed of at the Art Center’s discretion
Entry Drop-off: Tuesday – Saturday; October 28 – November 1, 2025; 11am – 5pm
Artworks that arrive after the judging process will not be eligible for this year’s competition.
Non-Accepted Pick-Up: Tuesday – Saturday; November 11 – 15, 2025; 11am – 5pm
Accepted Pick-Up: Tuesday – Saturday; January 6 – 10, 2026; 11am – 5pm
Meet our Juror:
Joshua Johnson, Co-Senior Curator at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. He holds an MFA in Studio Art from American University in Washington, D.C., a BFA in Sculpture and Painting from Dominican University in Oak Park, Illinois, and has completed additional graduate work in Museum Studies at Western Illinois University.
Since joining the Figge in 2015 as a Graduate Assistant in the Curatorial Department, Joshua has held a range of positions, including Assistant Registrar and Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Interdisciplinary Art. In his current role, he has curated numerous exhibitions, including Mia Feuer: Totems of the Anthropocene, Dimensional: 3D Works from the Figge Collection, Caroline Kent: An Improvisation of Form, Anne Lindberg: think like the river (with poet Ginny Threefoot), Submerged in the Sublime: The Landscape Photography of Kim Keever, The Golden Age: Featuring Northern European Artworks from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Myrlande Constant: DRAPO, Leo Villareal: Interstellar, and many others.
As an advisory staff member to the Acquisitions and Loans Committee, Joshua has advocated for the addition of significant works to the museum’s collection, ranging from regional artists like Blue Grass-based Terry Rathje to internationally recognized creators such as the Leo Villareal and teamLab.
In addition to his curatorial work, Joshua has taught studio art and art history at Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges for over eight years, and has served as a juror for numerous exhibitions across the Quad Cities region.
Awards:
Best of Show- $1,500
Second Place- $750
Third Place- $400
Linda Buechting Watercolor Award- $150
6 Merit Awards- $125 each
6 Honorable Mentions- $75 each
About the Exhibit:
Enjoy our most popular annual exhibit featuring new artwork by regional artists. This is a wonderful opportunity to support artists and the Art Center by purchasing original artworks to enjoy in your home or business. This exhibit will be on display at Quincy Art Center, located at 1515 Jersey St in Quincy, IL. The Art Center’s exhibits are FREE and open to the public Tuesday – Saturday from 11 AM – 5 PM and by appointment by calling 217-223-5900. Generous sponsorship for this exhibit has been provided by the Oakley and Lindsay families, and Funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council, the Stillwell Foundation, Daryl Buechting, the members of the Quincy Art Center, and Arts Quincy.
Opening Reception: Friday, November 21 from 6PM – 8 PM. This event is FREE and open to the public. This will be the first chance for the community to see the pieces selected for this exhibit. Award winners will be announced at 6:30 PM.
