The Exhibits Program at Tohono Chul presents visual stories linking the nature, culture, and arts of the Southwest. Focusing on the work of regional artists, we display vibrant works of art in a diverse array of thematic group exhibits. The charming adobe Exhibit House, built as a private home in 1937, is an ideal environment for visitors to view Southwestern artworks. 50% of all exhibit sales help fund programs at Tohono Chul.
Questions? Please contact the Exhibits Department at exhibits@tohonochul.org
Upcoming Exhibitions:
SONORAN HOURGLASS: Ablaze the Brilliant Sun
May 14 – August 2, 2026
Reception with the Artists | Thursday, May 14 | 5:30 – 8:00 pm | Free & Open to the Public
Exhibit House Main Gallery
A day is composed of 24 hours; split in half, the cycle is equal parts day and night, twelve-hour intervals – heralded by the transitional phases of dawn and dusk. The exhibition series SONORAN HOURGLASS will survey how time moves over the Sonoran Desert in the most obvious and subtle of ways – through the air: the light, the temperature, the mood, the pressure – through the landscape: the creatures, the water, the plants, the earth – through the cosmos. Using abstract notions and temporal quotients of past, present, and future, the classic form and function of an hourglass hearkens time’s effect in slow dissolution or methodical accretion, lending a timeless tone and romance to this project.
If circadian rhythms direct existence, what happens in the light of day? What kind of art will find its way into Ablaze the Brilliant Sun (day)?
Concentrating on the timeframe of day and all its workings, Ablaze the Brilliant Sun is the second installment in the series, SONORAN HOURGLASS.
Up to 3 completed works of any size, and in any 2 or 3-dimensional media may be submitted.
Click here for complete prospectus.
Image: Gaspar Marquez, Ocotillo Tree
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
May 30 – July 26, 2026
Deadline for Entries: Tuesday, May 5
Exhibit House Entry Gallery
For one night each year, this fragrant and stunning flower reveals itself to anyone lucky enough to greet it. To celebrate the treasured Peniocereus greggii or night-blooming cereus, an annual exhibition in the Entry Gallery features the Queen of the Night in all her glory.
Artists are asked to contribute works that represent the Peniocereus greggii plant: the bloom, flower, cactus, tuber, or fruit. Artists can submit 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional works in any media for consideration in this curated exhibition. The Entry Gallery is an intimate space that only allows for a small number of works.
Please feel free to contact the EXHIBITS PROGRAM at Tohono Chul if you have any questions about submitting artwork for this exhibition – exhibits@tohonochul.org.
Click here for complete prospectus.
Image from the 2025 installment of Queen of the Night: Mikayla Hammock , Blossom and Hawkmoth
THE ENTRY GALLERY PROJECT SPACE
Call for Proposals – 2026/2027
Deadline for Proposals: Monday, June 15
Exhibit House Entry Gallery
Tohono Chul’s mission statement envisions the Park as a community oasis where reverence for the cultural and natural ecology of the Sonoran Desert region inspires responsible stewardship so that future generations may thrive. For the past 41 years Tohono Chul’s Exhibits Program has provided regional artists unique opportunities to exhibit their artwork in a broad range of thematic exhibitions.
The Exhibit House at Tohono Chul consists of three exhibition spaces: Main Gallery, Welcome Gallery, and Entry Gallery. The work of regional artists and objects from Tohono Chul’s Permanent Collection are featured in each gallery during each exhibition season.
The Entry Gallery is an ideal space for solo or small group exhibitions featuring cohesive bodies of work – the Project Space series offers Arizona Artists three exhibition slots that run nine weeks each and share an Exhibit House ‘Reception with the Artists’ during the run of each exhibition. Exhibition dates for the 2026/2027 Exhibition Calendar: August 1 – October 4, 2026; October 10 – December 13, 2026; December 19, 2026 – February 21, 2027.
Please feel free to contact the EXHIBITS PROGRAM at Tohono Chul if you have any questions about creating a proposal for the Entry Gallery Project Space – exhibits@tohonochul.org.
Click here for complete prospectus.
A $40 fee for each application will help support programs at TOHONO CHUL and the Entry Gallery Project Space. The $40 fee can be paid by check or through Tohono Chul’s website here .
Images from the 2025/2026 EGPS Series: clockwise from left: Jimmy Descant, Catherine Nash, and J.W. Fike
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For Artists: To receive emails with exhibition opportunities including calls-for-entries, subscribe below and select the News and Opportunities for Artists email list.