Past Exhibits

Purchase tickets online here.

Celebrate one of the year’s highlights with an evening of art,dining, music, and refreshments. Meet exhibiting artists, enjoya first look at the show, and hear the judge’s talk.

Northern Arts Council and Nicolet College proudly present the 39th Northern National Art Competition. This premier annual exhibit features about 100 works selected from entries nationwide by a visiting arts professional, with cash prizes including three $1,000 Awards of Excellence.

Each year brings a new judge and perspective. This year we welcome Darrell Taylor, curator and assistant director at the Waterloo Center for the Arts in Iowa, where he oversees exhibitions, programming, and collection stewardship. Previously, he spent two decades as gallery director at the University of Northern Iowa, leading conservation initiatives and securing national grants to preserve and enhance art collections. An accomplished artist with BFA, MA, and MFA degrees in intermedia art from the University of Iowa, Taylor’s work—spanning performance, photography, drawing, and collage—has been showcased nationally and internationally. His collaborative projects include partnerships with universities in Germany and Russia, reflecting a career dedicated to creative practice and advancing the arts through education and leadership.

Our opening receptions are a highlight, offering a chance to meet the artists, explore new exhibitions, and celebrate the arts with music, fellowship, and refreshments. These events are free to attend (unless otherwise noted) and provide the perfect opportunity to connect with Northwoods arts enthusiasts. We invite you to visit our beautiful campus, stroll through the exhibits, and experience the creativity and inspiration on display.

Witness the creativity of Nicolet College’s talented students through a curated collection of their works. Many students create art in our labs while fulfilling humanities and elective requirements. From sketches to paintings, sculpture, ceramics, and more, these pieces showcase artistic growth and vision. Our faculty carefully select and display these remarkable creations, highlighting the diversity and skill of our student artists. The opening reception is a must-attend event—a chance to support and celebrate artists within our collegecommunity. We are proud to empower students recognized for artistic excellence as they continue to evolve and thrive in higher education.

Witness the creativity of Nicolet College’s talented students through a curated collection of their works. Many students create art in our labs while fulfilling humanities and elective requirements. From sketches to paintings, sculpture, ceramics, and more, these pieces showcase artistic growth and vision. Our faculty carefully select and display these remarkable creations, highlighting the diversity and skill of our student artists. The opening reception is a must-attend event—a chance to support and celebrate artists within our college community. We are proud to empower students recognized for artistic excellence as they continue to evolve and thrive in higher education.

Our opening receptions are a highlight, offering a chance to meet the artists, explore new exhibitions, and celebrate the arts with music, fellowship, and refreshments. These events are free to attend (unless otherwise noted) and provide the perfect opportunity to connect with Northwoods arts enthusiasts. We invite you to visit our beautiful campus, stroll through the exhibits, and experience the creativity and inspiration on display.

The Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) encourages nonprofessional, student, and emerging artists to create and exhibit their work across Wisconsin. It is for people who have a serious interest in art, and create art for the love of art. WRAP originated as an outreach program of UW-Madison but is now administered by the Association of Wisconsin Artists. Each WRAP site has a judge who selects works eligible for the state competition. The judge also provides invaluable encouragement and feedback to the exhibiting artists.

Anyone 18 years or older is invited to submit art for the Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) exhibit, which includes a day-long artist workshop with a lecture or demonstration and educational critique. Meritorious work selected by judges from the numerous regional exhibits around the state will be displayed at the Annual State Art Exhibit in Madison.

2026 Judge and Workshop Instructor: Tanner MacArthur

Painter and mixed-media artist Tanner MacArthur explores urban disorder, collage, and abstraction in his work. Based in Brooklyn and Milwaukee, he holds a BA from Lawrence University and an MFA from UW–Milwaukee. His art has appeared in leading Midwest galleries, including the Trout Museum of Art, Portrait Society Gallery, Real Tinsel, and Var Gallery, with solo shows at Mudd Gallery and No Instructions Gallery. Most recently, Tanner was Nicolet College’s MFA exhibiting artist last fall and created this winter’s solstice sculpture in the Community Garden.

WRAP exhibits began in 1940 as an outreach program of UW-Madison to encourage the creative growth of Wisconsin non-professional artists from rural areas. Now administered by the Association of Wisconsin Artists, WRAP exhibits/ workshops are held throughout the year in over 25 locations around the state. Nicolet College is proud to be one of those locations and carry on the tradition.

Join the opening reception to view this exhibit, connect with others, and enjoy light food and drink.

Artworks that either employ the tools of the industry, or are a thematic expression will be on display in the latest of a sequence dubbed, “The Art of” series. They feature artworks from student, local, and regional artists in celebration of one of the programs offered at Nicolet College. As a medium, metalworking is challenging and requires many hours of training and practice. Such training is offered by Nicolet College’s welding program, featuring state-of-the-art facilities and expert instruction.

Artworks that either employ the tools of the industry, or are a thematic expression will be on display in the latest of a sequence dubbed, “The Art of” series. They feature artworks from student, local, and regional artists in celebration of one of the programs offered at Nicolet College. As a medium, metalworking is challenging and requires many hours of training and practice. Such training is offered by Nicolet College’s welding program, featuring state-of-the-art facilities and expert instruction.

Join the opening reception to view this exhibit, connect with others, and enjoy light food and drink.

Each fall, our gallery spotlights emerging Midwest talent connecting young artists with students as well as the broader Northwoods Community. Highlighting current and recent MFA students (Masters of Fine Arts) offers a glimpse into contemporary art and the concepts artists are exploring. This fall Tanner MacArthur will be featured. Tanner is a painter and mixed-media artist exploring connections between urban disorder, collage, and traditional modes of abstraction. Tanner, who currently lives and works between Brooklyn, NY and Milwaukee, WI, received his BA from Lawrence University and MFA from University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. He has exhibited at key galleries and museums in the Midwest, such as the Trout Museum of Art, Portrait Society Gallery, Real Tinsel, and Var Gallery. Solo exhibitions include Interbeing at Mudd Gallery in Appleton, WI, and this August at No Instructions Gallery in Milwaukee.

Each fall, our gallery spotlights emerging Midwest talent connecting young artists with students as well as the broader Northwoods Community. Highlighting current and recent MFA students (Masters of Fine Arts) offers a glimpse into contemporary art and the concepts artists are exploring. This fall Tanner MacArthur will be featured. Tanner is a painter and mixed-media artist exploring connections between urban disorder, collage, and traditional modes of abstraction. Tanner, who currently lives and works between Brooklyn, NY and Milwaukee, WI, received his BA from Lawrence University and MFA from University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. He has exhibited at key galleries and museums in the Midwest, such as the Trout Museum of Art, Portrait Society Gallery, Real Tinsel, and Var Gallery. Solo exhibitions include Interbeing at Mudd Gallery in Appleton, WI, and this August at No Instructions Gallery in Milwaukee.

The gallery is open Monday - Thursday (6 am - 6 pm), Fridays (6 am - 5 pm), and Saturdays (8 am - 2 pm).