Past Exhibits

Sponsor an Exhibit

Artist Opportunities

Congratulations to our 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region Award Winners!

October 16 through November 29, 2025

Thank you to exhibit sponsors Christopher and Susan Moss

Opening Reception

Thursday, October 16, 2025
5-7 p.m.

50 Artists Biographies

Art Around the City

An additional piece of art from each artist will be reproduced on a metal plaque and installed as a part of “Art Around the City,” an outdoor exhibition that can be viewed in Downtown Bay City, Uptown Bay City, Veteran’s Park, and Bigelow Park around the Bay City Riverwalk Loop trail. Each artist has their artwork reproduced on a metal plate, accompanied by information about the artist.

Maps are available to download on our Art Around the City webpage.

50 Artists

of the Great Lakes Bay Region

October 16 through November 29, 2025

“50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region” is a biennial exhibition featuring the works of 50 artists selected by a jury of experts in visual art and community leaders from the region. The Great Lakes Bay Region includes the counties of Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw, with the addition of neighboring Clinton, Shiawassee, Genessee, Tuscola, Roscommon, and Ogemaw counties. Each artist will be featured in the Rowley Gallery of Studio 23 from October 16 – November 29, 2025. A public reception will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 5 – 7 p.m. The juror’s Best of Exhibit award of $1,000 will be awarded that evening, along with several cash awards of merit.

The jurors for this year’s exhibition were selected from Bay City, Frankenmuth, and Midland for their art expertise and roles in community leadership. The panel included Sam Fitzpatrick, corporate social media coordinator at Xcel Ortho Consulting; Stephen Hargash, executive director of the Frankenmuth Arts Council; and Beth Nova, fine arts program supervisor at the Midland Center for the Arts.

The artwork selected by our jurors reflects the wide range of artistic styles, media, and approaches to creating art within the region. Studio 23 credits the many art nonprofits, guilds, and associations that promote visual arts in mid-Michigan as important resources for the artist community. We are proud to be a part of a community within the Great Lakes Bay Region that supports and values visual arts and local artists.

“50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region” and “Art Around the City” began in 2017 and continue thanks to our many generous sponsors and advocates from the region. Sponsorship for “Art Around the City” supports the printing and installation of metal plaques that bring art beyond our walls and into our community. Sponsorship opportunities for “Art Around the City” and other events and exhibits are available at Studio23BayCity.org.