North of the 45th

North of the 45th is an annual juried exhibition of artists living in the geographical area north of the 45th parallel in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This line, known as the halfway point between the equator and the north pole, is often associated with being “up north.” The Exhibition highlights artists living in the upper Midwest, both in rural and urban areas.

Eligibility: Open to MI, MN, and WI residents, 18+, living north of the 45th parallel + 1 degree or 45.9°. The exhibition features artists residing in the Upper Midwest. Work in all media made in the last three (3) years is welcome. Work previously exhibited at the museum is not eligible.

Submissions: All entries must be submitted by creating an account at devos.slideroom.com.

Fee: There is a $20 fee to submit 1-5 images; the juror will select specific artworks for the exhibition based on submissions.

2026 Timeline: Submissions open January 20, with a deadline of March 16, 11:59 pm EST; Notification of acceptance: April 20; Artwork due at the museum by 5 pm June 8; exhibition dates: June 19 - September 4; Reception to be announced.

This year's jurors are Shane McAdams and Shane Walsh. 

Shane McAdams is an artist, writer, curator, and educator residing in Cedarburg, WI. He is a Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a Creative Capital, Andy Warhol Writer’s Grant finalist. He currently writes for the Shepherd Express and received the Visual Arts Achievement in Arts Writing from the Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Letters. He is the Curator at Saint Kate in Milwaukee, WI. McAdams is a partner in REAL TINSEL, an art space in Milwaukee, and a Co-Founder of the Door County Contemporary art fair. He has shown artwork in solo and group shows at galleries and museums, both nationally and internationally.

Shane Walsh is a painter, teacher, and co-director of the Door County Contemporary Art Fair. He received his MFA from the University of Washington-Seattle and presently teaches painting and drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, splitting his time between his studios in Milwaukee and New York City. Represented by Asya Geisberg Gallery in New York, he has exhibited his work in solo and group exhibitions at galleries and museums nationally and internationally.