Below is a selection of press releases about Memorial Art Gallery exhibitions and programs. Members of the media who would like additional information or publication-quality images should contact the public relations office.

We will gladly offer access to the museum to support press work related to MAG and its collections, please contact MAG’s Director of Marketing & Engagement to coordinate admission.


  • Pioneer of Video Art at MAG

    The Memorial Art Gallery will present the work of groundbreaking and visionary artist Nam June Paik this December. Paik (1932–2006) is referred to as the “Father of Video Art” for transforming video into a medium for artistic expression, which started in the 1960s. Guests will see Paik’s work from the museum’s collection in the introductory…

  • MAG’s Fine Craft Show Featuring Work by Nationally Acclaimed Artists

    For two-plus decades, MAG Council’s Fine Craft Show & Sale has featured one-of-a-kind, limited-edition work by master craft artists who regularly participate in the nation’s most prestigious shows, including ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, leather, metal, wood, and wearables. The Show & Sale takes place Saturday, November 2, from 10 am to 5 pm…

  • Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration Day at MAG!

    MAG invites you to Hispanic Heritage Celebration Day on Sunday, October 6, from 12-5 pm. Enjoy free museum admission, community and cultural tables, live dances and music, performances, and presentations around Hispanic countries. Our spotlight country this year is Peru! This year’s theme is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” The day will include…

  • Inaugural Ann and Irving Norry Curator of Contemporary Art Named at MAG

    The Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester announces the appointment of Timothy Peterson as the inaugural Ann and Irving Norry Curator of Contemporary Art, effective September 16, 2024. Peterson will manage MAG’s contemporary art collection, expand its holdings through acquisitions, organize exhibitions, and author exhibition publications. He will be MAG’s first-ever curator of…

  • 2024 Merit Awards Announced at M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival

    Three artists were honored as Merit Award winners, including the Exceptional First-Time Clothesline Art Festival Exhibitor, at the Annual M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival, held September 7th and 8th at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester. Winners were chosen from over 300 artists from across the country for the awards, which recognize…

  • Discover Your Drawing at MAG

    Opening this September in the Docent Gallery, Drawing as Discovery: 500 Years of Drawings and Watercolors from MAG’s Permanent Collection will showcase over 100 stellar works selected from the museum’s holdings of over 2,000 drawings. Significant work by legendary artists such as Lesley Dill, Edgar Degas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Francisco Goya, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Kara…

  • Free School Tours at MAG

    The Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester is excited to announce that for the 2024-2025 school year, School Tours for PreK-12th grades and Especially for Educators professional development workshops for teachers will be free for participants.  This announcement, one of the first major initiatives under the new leadership at MAG, is important in…

  • 68th M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival Artists Announced!

    Artists from across the United States were invited to apply for the 68th annual M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival. The juried fine arts festival showcases more than 300 artists, Rochester’s favorite food trucks and vendors, free family art activities, and all-day live entertainment. It will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8.…

  • New Acquisitions: Contemporary Indigenous Artists at MAG

    With five recent acquisitions, MAG continues to move forward in its efforts to build a collection that better reflects our community. Sarah Jesse, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director, stated, “We are so pleased that these artworks are now in MAG’s collection, where audiences can engage with their rich conceptual meaning and marvel…

  • VIP Pass Now Available for MAG!

    Want to visit MAG for free? Starting July 1, you can “check out” MAG at participating branches through the Monroe County Library System using the VIP (Very Important Places) Pass Program. Library members can check out passes and receive free museum admission for children and grandchildren age 18 and under and up to two adults.…