Experiential learning in RIT galleries serves as launchpad for students

Skylier Grooms '26

In addition to normal responsibilities as a gallery assistant at RIT City Art Space, Skylier Grooms has also photographed opening receptions. Here, gallery visitors take in the 2025 Schools of Art and American Crafts MFA thesis exhibition last spring.

When it came time for Louis Chavez ’23 MFA (photography and related media) to install their thesis exhibition, they were prepared to give it the professional touch. 

Having previously installed exhibitions at RIT City Art Space as a student employee, Chavez gained curatorial and practical insights that remained helpful and relevant following graduation. 

“The experience enhanced my understanding of installation strategies and creative approaches to exhibition display,” said Chavez, who was a gallery assistant for City Art Space during their time as a graduate student. “It informed my career as a museum professional, as I often apply these technical and curatorial perspectives in my role as a photography curator at the George Eastman Museum.”

In addition to being an exhibition site for students, alumni, staff, and external artists, RIT City Art Space, the university’s downtown venue for art, design, and creativity, has long been an experiential learning hotspot for students. It offers student employment opportunities as gallery assistants and managers. Students have a hand in exhibition installations, gallery supervision, supporting special events such as artist talks and receptions, assisting gallery visitors, and collaborating with a wide range of artists. 

City Art Space is relocating to Rochester’s vibrant Neighborhood of Play in 2025, with the new location’s first exhibition opening planned for Sept. 5. While the surroundings are changing, the venue is maintaining its commitment to providing career preparation to students.

“Having an off-campus venue like this is extremely valuable for our students,” said John Aäsp, gallery director for the College of Art and Design. “Our student employees gain experiential learning that can’t always be accomplished in the classroom. When they graduate, they’re more fully prepared for careers in museums, community art centers, project and event management, and more. It’s a proud feeling to see our former student employees advance in the field, knowing they got their start working in one of our galleries.”

Student experiences

Hands-on exhibition installation, management, and curation is a resume line many RIT College of Art and Design students gained thanks to City Art Space and the on-campus galleries (Bevier, William Harris, and University galleries).

Skylier Grooms ’26 (photographic and imaging arts BFA - advertising photography option) is currently a gallery assistant, a position held since January 2023. She leads opening and closing procedures for the space, informs visitors about exhibitions, and contributes to installation and deinstallation. 

The downtown art venue’s spirited environment has fostered a creative community Grooms instantly felt connected to. Interacting with gallery visitors and other students, faculty, and staff — all bound together by an affinity for the arts — has been her favorite part of employment.

“Prior to attending RIT, I studied psychology/criminology in my home state of South Carolina,” said Grooms, slated to graduate in December. “Moving up the coast by myself was a bit intimidating and lonely. I am truly grateful to have had the amazing opportunity to network with so many creatives and art lovers, both on campus and within the community of Rochester.

Savannah Cid ’20 (photographic and imaging arts BFA - fine art photography option) credits her time at City Art Space — along with employment as a student supervisor for RIT Libraries — with preparing her for an exhibition preparator role at George Eastman Museum during her final semester. Those work experiences aided the transition to full-time roles with Memorial Art Gallery and University of Rochester, where she is currently a supervisor in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation.

“Having the opportunity to learn first-hand how exhibitions are planned, how much things change once the artist and their work are physically in the space, and witnessing how the community interacted with the work once it was installed, was beyond eye-opening,” said Cid, a gallery manager from January 2019-May 2020. “It gave me a different level of appreciation for art handlers, curatorial/exhibitions teams, and the general effort to make art accessible to the public.”

Shayna Kiblin ’20 (photographic and imaging arts BFA - fine art photography option), ’22 MFA (fine arts studio) was a gallery assistant for City Art Space as an undergraduate before being promoted to gallery manager as a graduate student. She also worked at Bevier Gallery, another one of RIT’s galleries on campus. 

Kiblin said working alongside Aäsp and Shane Durgee, Bevier Gallery coordinator, taught the best methods for shipping and installing pieces of all media — skills that came in handy when organizing her own solo exhibitions of sculptural works.

“The job was as much a learning experience as it was employment,” Kiblin said. “As someone who is now a working artist, the knowledge I gained has been exceptionally helpful. Working with a combination of student, faculty, and visiting artist work gave me exposure to all different mediums and how to handle installing and caring for pieces that ranged from painting on a wall to large-scale installations.”

“RIT’s signature blend of education and experiential learning can be seen year-round in all of our galleries, and City Art Space’s unique downtown location brings it all closer to the heart of Rochester," Aäsp said. “The students that work here and I are all proud to be a part of that.”