This summer, Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design invites audiences to experience two powerful exhibitions exploring identity, storytelling and underrepresented histories.

The exhibitions are on view at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center and Brick City Gallery.

Summer program celebrates fourth year

Now in its fourth year, the department’s summer programming continues its mission to showcase diverse voices and emerging talent through thoughtfully curated visual arts exhibitions.

“Our core summer audience is pretty open minded and excited to see our exhibit spaces try new things and explore new ideas,” said Jodi McCoy, Director of Exhibitions. “While our summer audience is smaller, our summer exhibits have been featured in national reviews. They’re a bit of a hidden or emerging gem.”

At the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center

The 2025 MFA Thesis Exhibition opened May 27.  This event is the capstone showcase for Master of Fine Arts graduate students.

Next, “Let Me Tell You a Story: Gathering Our Roots to Find Belonging” opens June 21. MFA candidate Olga Shute co-curated the exhibition. It features six Latin American artists whose works explore heritage, memory and identity through storytelling.

“As we got deeper into planning with these particular themes of identity, it became very important to me to make intentional space for the voices of the artists to speak rather than have a heavy curatorial hand,” McCoy said.

Carolla Arts Exhibition schedule

At Brick City Gallery

Opening July 5, “The Long Ride Home” showcases the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Ron Tarver. The exhibition, which was curated by the artist himself, captures the lives of Black cowboys.

Tarver’s work represents narratives “intentionally forgotten” in the American myth of the West, McCoy said.

These exhibitions offer audiences the opportunity to engage with stories that resonate across cultures and communities. Admission is free and open to the public.

Brick City Exhibition schedule

The Carolla Arts Exhibition Center is located at 326 N Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO. Brick City Gallery is located at 215 West Mill Street. Summer hours are Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Contact the art and design department at 417-837-2330 for more information.

News edited by the Reynolds College Communications Team.

Sam Barnette is a writer for the Department of Art and Design. She holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Missouri State’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film. She is working toward an MS in Data Science and Analytic Storytelling at Truman State University.