Plan to drop by the Grafly Gallery starting Monday, July 1 to participate in Ulrich Co-Lab 2. A visitor-centered curatorial experiment, the Ulrich Co-Lab gives Museum guests the opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings, and responses to our permanent collection.

"Historically, museums have sought to inform and educate the public by exhibiting artwork through an authoritative voice," said Ulrich Executive and Creative Director Vivian Zavataro. "However, this approach can be limiting. Perspectives are inevitably left out or silenced while other narratives are amplified."

Shifting away from a traditional approach, this participatory exhibition allows for an open exchange of ideas that aims to enrich the museum experience for everyone. The goal is to create a feedback loop, revitalize the museum space, and represent a collective identity.

The four data collecting stages of Ulrich Co-Lab take place in our Grafly Gallery. The first of these interactive exhibitions had visitors share their connection to Wichita and works in our permanent collection in the spring of 2024. In fall 2024, the experiment invites visitors to further reflect on their connection with Wichita through different participatory techniques.

For Ulrich Co-Lab: Homegrown in Spring 2025, we are collaborating with Harvester Arts. Ten local artists will be selected to create artworks inspired by pieces in our permanent collection and showcase them alongside these works, creating a dynamic dialogue between past and present. Guests will have the chance to vote on their favorites.

Ulrich Co-Lab will culminate with an exhibition in spring 2026 in the Beren Gallery, a collaborative co-curation between Ulrich curatorial staff and all the Museum visitors who have participated in the Ulrich Co-Lab data gathering process.