About the Gallery
The Mercer Gallery, named in memory of Thomas Mercer, an MCC student, veteran, and artist, is operated by the Art Faculty of the Visual and Performing Arts (VaPA) Department of Monroe Community College.
The Mercer Gallery’s schedule of exhibitions and cultural events began in November of 1986. The purpose was to meet an instructional need for a department gallery which would present current, challenging work, not readily available in Rochester; another gallery exhibit area in a context exemplifying excellent curatorial and gallery management practices. We envisioned a gallery which would present art and artists, which could be integrated with the work of our curriculum to serve as an instructional model of contemporary art for our students.
The Mercer Gallery is located in Building 12 on MCC’s Brighton Campus (Tel: (585) 292-2021) in Rochester, New York. Though the Mercer Gallery is located on a college campus and has enthusiastic attendees from college students and faculty members, its mission is not one of the common campus gallery.