Art to Live With

An art loan program, exclusively for University of Chicago students

Art to Live With offers UChicago students living in residence halls the unique opportunity to borrow original works of art to display in their dorm rooms.

This fall, choose from specially designated artworks, including new acquisitions selected by our Art to Live With Acquisitions Committee. Works will be loaned at no cost for the duration of the academic year. Discover a collection curated for student dorm rooms and find your match!

2024 overview

 

Presented by the Smart Museum of Art with generous support from Greg Wendt, AB’83, who once borrowed an Art to Live With print by Sven Lukin, and Joseph R. Shapiro, EX’34, the program’s original benefactor. Additional support has been provided by Dolores and Donn Shapiro.

About the Collection

“The enjoyment of art is something that multiplies by division...share it with people and it becomes a communal experience, a motivational force for drawing people together.”—art collector and alumnus Joseph R. Shapiro

The Art to Live With collection was established at the University of Chicago in 1958. The core of the original collection was assembled by alumnus Joseph R. Shapiro and includes works on paper by modern American and European artists, including Marc Chagall, Eleanor Coen, Margo Hoff, Fernand Léger, Matta, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Rouault. These works continue to cirulate through dorm rooms each year as part of the loan program. In recent years, the Smart, with input from UChicago students, has also worked to expand the Art to Live With holdings and broaden the collection's scope. Now, it also includes works by an array of contemporary artists working in Chicago and globally, such as Bethany Collins, Ann Hamilton, Ester Hernandez, Jenny Holzer, Judy Ledgerwood, Faheem Majeed, Takashi Murakami, Pope.L, Barbara Rossi, Ynka Shonibare CBE, Orkideh Torabi, and Amanda Williams.

Browse the collection


You can also preview the artworks available for loan in 2024 by visiting the pop-up exhibition, or liking your favorite pieces on the @art_to_live_with Instagram.

FAQs

Updated summer 2024

How do I participate in Art to Live With?
Attend both days of Art Match events. Day 1 check-in events on Saturday, October 5, starting at 4 pm and Day 2 on Sunday, October 6, with the final check in happening at 8 am before doors open. 

What do I need to bring?
A valid UChicago Student ID, your housemates for good company!

What about camping? Due to updated UChicago Event Policies, CAMPING OVERNIGHT IS NO LONGER PERMITTED. (UChicago Outdoor Events on Campus - Access to University Property) To secure your place in line be sure to be present for the first check in at 4pm on Saturday, October 5th.

Where can I get live updates from the line?
Tune in to the @art_to_live_with Instagram for timely updates throughout Art Match.

How do I know what artwork is available for loan?
Browse the Art to Live With collection online for an up-to-date preview of this year’s selection of works available for loan. To see the artworks in person, stop by during Preview Week, Tuesday, October 1st -Saturday, October 5th 10:00am – 4:30pm

They all look so great! Can I borrow more than one?
We appreciate your enthusiasm, but you can only borrow one artwork per year.

I won’t be here fall quarter, but I still want to participate. Can I borrow it later in the year?
As much as we’d like to say yes, artwork can only be borrowed during Art Match in the fall.

This sounds awesome, how much does it cost to borrow?
Luckily for you, works are loaned at no cost for the duration of the academic year.

Who hangs the artwork in my room?
You do! We provide Command Hooks and a handling and hanging sheet that guides you through the process.

Can I hang it in my House lounge or common room?
Nope! Artwork can only be hung in your bedroom. It may not be hung in any other location including apartment living rooms, suite entryways, bathrooms, kitchens, and house lounges.

If I move to a new room, or leave campus, what happens to the artwork?
Contact Lauren Payne (laurenpayne@uchicago.edu). If you move within the dorm, the artwork moves with you. You will receive new Command Hooks to rehang the artwork, and must provide your new room number. If you are studying abroad, you must return the artwork to the Smart Museum. Please arrange in advance with Lauren Payne.

If the artwork is accidentally damaged, what should I do?
Do not try to fix it—you risk damaging the work further. Immediately contact Lauren Payne (laurenpayne@uchicago.edu). If the frame is unstable, lay the artwork on a flat, clean surface.

How do you choose what artworks are acquired to expand the collection? How can I get involved?
Join the Art to Live With Acquisitions Commitee!

The Art to Live With Acquisitions Commitee is a behind-the-scenes pass to all things Art to Live With! The committee is a great way to meet fellow students, artists and curators. Learn more about the acquisitions process by participating in it! This group will meet two times per quarter and will select artworks to expand the Art to Live With Collection. For more information on how to participate, email Lauren Payne (laurenpayne@uchicago.edu).

I still have questions!
Great! Contact Lauren Payne (laurenpayne@uchicago.edu) for more information.

 

Important Dates

All events take place at the Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Avenue. Art to Live With is open to UChicago students living in residence halls. Valid UChicago Student ID required. FREE.

Preview the collection

Art to Live With Preview Week
Tuesday, October 1st – Saturday, October 5th 10:00am – 4:30pm

Pop-up exhibition of the collection on view in the Smart lobby from October 1 – 5th, 2024.

Come by the Smart to preview this year’s available artwork for Art to Live With! While you are here, check out the Smart Museum’s 50th anniversary exhibition. Want a printed version of the collection to mark your favorites? Download and print here.

Art Match Day 1

Check-in Events 
Saturday, October 5, 2024

Get your spot in line and partake in check-in events to participate in Art Match! Tune in to the @art_to_live_with Instagram for live updates throughout Art Match.

Please note: Due to updated UChicago Event Policies, CAMPING OVERNIGHT IS NO LONGER PERMITTED. (UChicago Outdoor Events on Campus - Access to University Property)

Students can start lining up on Saturday in the hours leading up to the first check-in time at 4pm and it is highly encouraged you are present for the first check-in to secure a place in line. In 2023, all spots were filled by 9pm. The line will begin under the Smart’s east portico, and curve into the courtyard. While you are lined up during the first check in, an Art to Live With staff member will walk around to add your name to the list. Once your name is one the list, that is your number in line and the order in which you will get to select your piece Sunday morning after the final check-in.

To hold your spot in line you are required to check in during the remaining check in times and events. Before participating in the check-in events, make sure to let the Art to Live With staff know you are present.

First Check-in: 4 pm

Second Check-in: 6pm

Third Check-in: 8pm

Drop by the Smart’s courtyard for all three Check-ins, and reserve your spot in line. Indulge in snacks, drinks, games, while soaking in the vibrant atmosphere! Meet some new friends, and as the sun sets, look toward the horizon, where you’ll see your Art to Live With masterpiece!

Art Match Day 2

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Final Check-in
8 am
Confirm you are present to secure your final place in line and prepare to select your artwork! You will be given your group number at this time. 

Doors open
8 am–noon
Enter the Smart in your designated group to select a single work of art to enjoy in your dorm room for the entire academic year. Valid UChicago student ID required!

No one will walk away empty handed!
New in 2024! Due to the popularity of Art to Live With, it is possible you may not have a chance to select a piece from the collection to hang in your dorm room. If that’s the case, you will receive a limited-edition takeaway instead.

Returning your artwork

Return Days
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 6 and 7, 2025
10 am–3 pm
The end of the 2024–2025 year is almost here—it’s time to return your artwork to the Smart. Try not to get too many tears on the frame!

Top photos by Eddie Quinones. Historical photos by Rus Arnold from “Art to Live With,” University of Chicago Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, March 1959.