Dyer Arts Center

Events

Exhibits

NTID Collection

HOURS (unless otherwise noted):
Mon-Fri 10am-4pm,
and by appointment

NTID Dyer Arts Center
LBJ Building
52 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623
VP: 585-204-2205
Voice: 585-475-5024
dyerartscenter@rit.edu

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About the Center

Photo of woman at looking at wall of art works.The Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center at NTID houses several state-of-the-art galleries that showcase artworks created by current students, alumni, and artists who are nationally and internationally renowned. All of these artists are deaf, hard of hearing, and/or allies of the Deaf community.

The center also hosts art-related educational activities such as lectures and demonstrations, and serves as a multi-use facility on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. The center is unique among other galleries on campus for its permanent collection of works by deaf and hard of hearing artists.

Thanks to a leadership gift from the late Joseph and Helen Dyer, long-time supporters of NTID, the center opened in the fall of 2001.

Joseph and Helen Dyer
Long-time supporters of NTID, Joseph and the late Helen Dyer, are deaf college graduates. They completed college in a time when very few deaf people did, and they did so as mainstreamed students without any support or access services.

In 1997, the couple established the Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Endowed Scholarship Fund at NTID. The fund benefits NTID/RIT students in good academic standing. In early 2000, the Dyers pledged $2.5 million to fund construction and development of the Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center at NTID.

"NTID at RIT is of great importance to the deaf community," says Joseph Dyer. "Helen and I wanted to help support NTID, which has made significant contributions to deaf education, technology and the arts."

Mr. Dyer attended the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the 1930s and became an engineer for a pharmaceutical company.

Hailing from Iowa, Mrs. Dyer's father moved to New York City to become an accomplished corporate attorney with many high-level contacts across America. He developed an appreciation for art, which he passed on to his daughter. Mrs. Dyer attended Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, MA., and received her bachelor's degree in sociology from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Helen Dyer, 90, of Delray Beach, FL., passed away on Sept. 9, 2001. She was an avid artist who enjoyed oil painting. "We believe the arts are a large component of a well-rounded college education," Helen Dyer said before her death. "Expression through art for deaf people is especially meaningful and beneficial."

Elizabeth W. Williams
The Elizabeth W. Williams Gallery is the main gallery of the Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center, and serves a multitude of functions, including the exhibition of works by various artists, seminars, and hospitality functions for both NTID and RIT.

The gallery was made possible by a $500,000 gift from long-time NTID supporter, the late Elizabeth "Cookie" Williams.

Milton H. and Ray B. Ohringer
The Milton H. and Ray B. Ohringer Gallery is dedicated to improving educational opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing young people, Ray Ohringer funded construction of the Milton H. and Ray B. Ohringer Gallery in the Dyer Arts Center. Ray, who retired from IBM after 34 years, lives in New York, NY and Boca Raton, FL. She and her late husband, Milton, who was a certified public accountant, established The Milton H. and Ray B. Ohringer Endowed Scholarship Fund at NTID.

The Dyer Arts Center was originally designed and set up as an exhibit space to showcase and house art, including temporary exhibits and NTID’s Permanent Collection of Art. This is the main priority for the use of the space and like other art galleries on campus, it is not an appropriate venue for general events. Events that are scheduled in the NTID Dyer Arts Center are directly associated with the mission of NTID/RIT and specifically sponsored and paid for by either the RIT or NTID Presidents’ or Development Offices. The space is not available to external organizations without the consent of the NTID President. When this consent occurs, then a rental contract is issued through the RIT Office of Special Events.

The capacity of the NTID Dyer Arts Center varies depending on the size of the exhibit in the space. The RIT Environmental Health & Safety Office has put a limit of 100 people for most gatherings in the space. Any event larger than 100 people must also use the first-floor “street” of the LBJ Hall.

The Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center at RIT/NTID welcomes all visitors.

Except for major institute holidays, summer session, exhibit installations, and scheduled special events, the Gallery's hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and by appointment.

The Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center is a state-of-the-art facility at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. It is located inside the Lyndon Baines Johnson Building. The postal address is 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623.

From the Airport:
Turn right onto Brooks Avenue, then a quick right onto I-390 South. From 390, take the next exit (Scottsville Road) and turn right at the end of the ramp. Drive for approximately three miles, then turn left onto Jefferson Road (Route 252). Proceed east a short distance to the second campus entrance. Turn right onto campus at Lowenthal Road at the stop light just before the Radisson Inn.

From the NYS Thruway:
Take Exit 46. Immediately after exiting, get on I-390 North and refer to directions below:

  • From I-390:
    Take Exit 13 (Hylan Drive). Take a left onto Hylan Dr. and continue north to Jefferson Road (Route 252). Then and take a left at the light. Proceed west a short distance to the main campus. Turn left onto campus at Lowenthal Road at the stop light just after the Radisson Inn.
  • After entering campus:
    At the first stop sign (end of Lowenthal Road), you will be facing Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Hall. Make a left turn onto Andrews Memorial Drive and then a right turn onto Lyon Crescent. There are signs for visitor parking and also twenty minute parking is allowed in designated spaces with flashers turned on. As you enter the front doors of LBJ, the gallery is located on the first floor just off the lobby to the right.

Featured Events/Exhibits

Background Noise
Friday, June 6, 2025 - Friday, September 19, 2025
image of event

“Background Noise: Reframing Perception” is a deeply personal and confrontational exhibition by Deaf and queer artist Justin Dougan-LeBlanc. In this expanded iteration of the critically acclaimed “Background Noise,” Dougan-LeBlanc draws viewers into a multisensory landscape where sound, silence, identity, and memory collide.

People often speak of core memories and moments that shape the trajectory of their lives. For Dougan-LeBlanc, those memories are rooted in the experience of being born Deaf. He is Deaf. His memories are not heard, but are seen, felt, and understood through a distinct sensory language. This body of work traces that journey from internal reckonings to external perceptions, from isolation to reclamation.

Through sculptural artifacts, textiles, fashion, and video installations, Dougan-LeBlanc opens an honest dialogue about how the world has perceived him as broken, crippled, or less than. But instead of internalizing those projections, he turns them outward, transforming pain into power. Each piece becomes a site of confrontation and storytelling, challenging societal norms and reframing the definition of wholeness.

Created specifically for the Dyer Arts Center, new works deepen the exhibition’s exploration of Deaf culture and queer identity. From shattered busts mended together as a symbol of resilience to looping video portraits that capture the nuance of deafness often missed by the able-bodied gaze, these pieces invite audiences to reckon with the complexities of being seen, categorized, and corrected.

"Background Noise: Reframing Perception" is more than an exhibition – it’s an unapologetic narrative. It invites viewers to rethink the frameworks through which we understand difference. It asks not for sympathy, but for a shift in perception. And it reminds us that what some call background noise is, for others, the very sound of truth.

[Image ID: A transparency black and white photo of a black bust of a human head. The head has multiple ears arranged in a row all the way around, where the eyes and ears would usually be. The title "BACKGROUND NOISE" appears in bold black text at the center, with Works of Justin Dougan-LeBlanc written just below it.]

The Merkin Collection Unveiled 
Ohringer Gallery
Friday, February 28, 2025 - Friday, May 16, 2025
image of event

Dyer Arts Center will showcase The Merkin Collection Unveiled exhibition, a heartfelt tribute to Lewis M. Merkin (1955–2022)—an actor, artist, advocate, and Deaf interpreter. This remarkable collection amplifies the voices of the Deaf, disabled, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups, showcasing a variety of artworks, including some that many have not yet seen. The exhibition will be displayed from February 28 to May 16 in the Ohringer Gallery.

Dyer Arts Center invites you to the opening reception for “The Merkin Collection Unveiled” on Friday, February 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Ohringer Gallery at the Dyer Arts Center in LBJ on the RIT campus. This exhibition will feature the remarkable collection of Lewis Merkin, who has gathered artworks over the years to amplify the voices of the Deaf, disabled, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups. It will showcase a variety of artworks, including pieces that many have not yet seen.

The reception is free and open to the public but please register via this link to assist us in planning for food: https://shorturl.at/4qbhh.

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu.

[Image ID: The background is a collage of different artworks, showing a mix of colorful paintings, cultural art, and mixed-media pieces. In the center is a semi-transparent box with bold, uppercase text. The title, "THE MERKIN COLLECTION," is in black, while "UNVEILED" is in gold. Below the title, the exhibition dates, "February 28th - May 16th, 2025," are displayed in black text.]

NTID Performing Arts 50 Years
Williams Gallery
Friday, October 18, 2024 - Friday, May 16, 2025
image of event

We are thrilled to present an exciting exhibition at the Dyer Arts Center, celebrating the NTID Performing Arts' 50th anniversary! Explore historic highlights of our shows from the 1970s to 2024. An opening event will be held on October 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Dyer Arts Center. The exhibition will feature the rich history of the NTID Drama Club, Experience Experiment Theatre, RIT Dance Company, Sunshine Too, and more. Discover a captivating array of costumes, props, models, lighting, pictures, posters, and other memorabilia. Don’t miss this opportunity to relive and celebrate our remarkable journey in performing arts!

For more information, contact dyerartscenter@rit.edu to learn more about upcoming events.

[Image ID: Poster with the words Celebrating 50 Years weaved within a graphic that consists of 2 hands colored orange, words Celebrating 50 Years in black, and the two comedy and tragedy masks colored orange and grey. Below are the words NTID Performing Arts Special Events in orange. Below is a photo of performers cheering. Below that are the words Retrospective Exhibit, October 18, 2024 to May 16, 2025, Dyer Arts Center.]

Related Links

ASLCore logo

ASLCORE: Western Art History Timeline

Chuck Baird image on Deafart site

Deafart

Deaf Art, Deaf Artists logo

Deaf Art, Deaf Artists

Composite of book covers from Deaf Artists Library Guide site

Deaf Artists Library Guide

Giving

If you wish to contribute to the Dyer Arts Center with a supporting or memorial gift, you may do so by check or online.

Thank you very much for your support of the Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center.

To make a donation by check

  • Checks should be made payable to:
    RIT/NTID
    with Dyer Arts Center on the memo line of the check
  • Mail your check to:

    Rochester Institute of Technology
    University Advancement
    P.O. Box 92765
    Rochester, NY 14692-8865

To make a donation online, click the link below and follow the prompts:

Dyer Arts Center - Special Exhibits