STUDENT RESOURCES
The Gallery supports and presents Division III exhibitions each Fall and Spring semester.
From mid-November to mid-December and from mid-March to May each year, artists in their final semester at Hampshire experiment with form and conceptual propositions in a series of small group exhibitions.
This MFA-style program is a supportive and rigorous experience for undergraduate students, providing a foundation in curatorial and professional practice for artists. The Gallery Director currently mentors students in this program.
Installation view of Tabita Doujad, Chestnut Generations, Friday, April 19—Monday, April 22, 2024. Hampshire College Art Gallery.
Who exhibits Div III work in the Gallery?
A Div III Exhibition in the Hampshire College Art Gallery is ideal for Arts or Arts-adjacent students who want to build their artistic professional practice and curatorial skills and whose work would benefit from a strongly visual form of public dissemination and display. The Gallery is a flexible, professional space that can accommodate a wide range of mediums.
Students who want to exhibit their work will devote significant time to developing and curating their shows. This rich and intensive process requires planning, deep intentionality, and cultivating valuable new skills.
The Div III Exhibition Program is less suited to students exclusively focused on studio practice or needing more time to devote to their exhibitions. Students who prefer to focus solely on their studio/production work would be better suited to display their work in a less formal space.
The necessity of a Gallery presentation should connect to the content and conceptual framework of a student’s creative practice.
Installation view of Joalis Ayala, “Don’t be a Puppet,” Friday, May 3—Sunday, May 5, 2024. Hampshire College Art Gallery.
How do we select who shows work?
When evaluating whether a gallery presentation is appropriate, we consider whether installation in the gallery, engagement in curatorial decision-making and display processes, and interaction with visitors are integral aspects of the student’s Div III work. Div III gallery exhibition preference is given to studio arts and film/photo students, as this process often forms a large part of their formal evaluation. Please note that timing, spatial, and resource constraints limit exhibition slots. We recognize that there are students without Studio Arts or Film/Photo/Video faculty committees whose projects necessitate showing in a formal gallery space, and we will do our absolute best to find exhibition slots or assist them in identifying alternatives and helpful resources.
The Gallery Director reviews student applications to show Div III work in the Gallery based on the following criteria:
Has the student demonstrated that an exhibition is an essential part of their Div III project?
Does the student have studio/visual arts and/or film/photo faculty on their committee?
Has the student consistently engaged in arts/related coursework?
Is the Div III project feasible without a Gallery exhibition?
The Gallery Director will then share an assessment of the applicants with the students’ faculty Div III committee members, proposing a group of students to show in the Gallery. Faculty have the opportunity to ask questions and make recommendations; the Gallery Director will then share with them a revised list of students who will present Div III exhibitions in the Gallery that semester.
Installation view of Cassidy Clark. April 23—25, 2025. Hampshire College Art Gallery.
When does this process take place?
The process of applying for and developing Div III Gallery Exhibitions takes place in the final year of a student’s study at Hampshire. Fall Graduates engage with the process at the start of September; Spring Graduates engage with the process starting in mid-October.
Approximate timings to expect each year:
| Fall Graduates | Spring Graduates | |
|
Info Session outreach and announcement Gallery Director sends targeted outreach to Div III students in Arts/Arts Adjacent fields and posts a campus-wide notice. |
Beginning of Fall Semester | Third week of September |
|
Required Info Session; application opens One required info session and a make-up session take place; application opens immediately afterward. |
Second week of September | Mid-October |
|
Div III Gallery Exhibition Application Due Late applications will receive lowest priority; extensions available upon request. |
Last week of September | First week of November |
|
Applications review Gallery Director reviews applications using outlined selection criteria. |
Last week of September | Second week of November |
|
Proposed list shared with faculty Faculty are invited to ask questions and make recommendations on the draft list. |
First week of October | Third week of November |
|
Confirmed list + draft schedule to students and faculty Final list of exhibiting students is shared with faculty and students, along with a draft schedule. |
First week of October | Fourth week of November |
|
Students may negotiate schedule with peers Students review the draft and coordinate any swaps or changes before confirming dates. |
Second week of October | Last week of November |
|
Final schedule confirmed and shared Finalized exhibition dates are circulated to students and faculty. |
Third week of October | First week of December |
|
Div III Gallery Exhibitions The exhibition period itself: students install and present their capstone work. |
Two weeks after Thanksgiving Break | End of March – early May |
Installation view of Mackerel Caswell, April 16—April 18, 2025. Hampshire College Art Gallery.
Important Resources
Div III Semester Overviews - Program details for this academic year’s semesters, including important deadlines, dates, and more
The Gallery Handbook – This guide, now in its third edition, is a helpful aid in planning and installing Division III exhibitions and details Gallery rules, regulations, community expectations, and available resources.
Floorplans – formatted to print at tabloid size (11” x 17”)
You can download our Gallery 3-d model to experiment with and mockup works with. The model has an accuracy tolerance of +/- 3 inches.
Did you know that you can use SketchUp’s free in-browser tool? Learn more here, download the model, and then upload to the browser tool.
View the 3-d scan of our gallery, which you can explore to review gallery conditions. You can also use the scan to take approximate measurements or explore with a VR headset.
Schedule an appointment during the Gallery Director’s office hours – Students can make appointments for consultation and are also encouraged to meet with their committees in the Gallery space to discuss the curation of their work.
Installation view of Gianna Paladino, Blues and the Abscessed Tooth, Friday, April 26—Sunday, April 28, 2024. Hampshire College Art Gallery.