In this episode of 'Exposition', we speak with Emily Denlinger, a professor in the Department of Art and Design at Southeast Missouri State University. Emily describes the second annual installment of the "Emerging Voices" exhibition, which features works created by students from local community colleges. This public gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the show is available to view through January 30, 2026, at the Dobbins Center, located on the SEMO River Campus.
The Department of Art + Design presents the second annual Emerging Voices exhibition. Emerging Voices celebrates the fresh perspectives of up-and-coming artists, offering students from all experience levels the chance to submit their best work.
By sharing their voices, artists contribute to a larger dialogue about the human experience, making this exhibition a platform for innovation, expression, and connection.
Emily describes the procurement process for all art pieces, submitted by community college students from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Students were invited to showcase their talents in this juried exhibition featuring 2D media such as painted works and photography pieces.
Professor Lanie Gabbard, professor of Graphic and Interactive Design, served as a juror for this exhibition.
Emily notes that this exhibition is so important because she loves the opportunity to showcase these students, and hopes the exhibition inspires students in community college and 4-year institutions alike to think about what the next steps on their journey look like.
She describes how supportive the SEMO experience has been in her 17 years as a professor.
