Elmhurst Art Museum is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017 with its first open call exhibition. The theme of the exhibition, Sense of Place, recognizes the seminal role of the Elmhurst Artists' Guild and the forward-thinking group of teachers, artists and community organizers who founded the Museum in their hometown with the belief that people from all walks of life and professions can learn how to see and think differently through the study of art, architecture and design.

The exhibition will be curated by Frank Tumino, Curatorial Chair of the Elmhurst Artists' Guild; Carrie Secrist, owner of Carrie Secrist Gallery in Chicago; and Jenny Gibbs, Executive Director at Elmhurst Art Museum. The exhibition will be on display December 10, 2016 through February 12, 2017.

Cultural geographers, anthropologists, sociologists and urban planners study why certain places hold special meaning to particular people. Many places have a strong identity and character that is deeply felt by local inhabitants and visitors. Elmhurst is a small city (population 45,000) with a strong civic culture and a community that believes in the value of shared culture, education and worship; this is part of the "sense of place" of Elmhurst. The exhibition, Sense of Place, will explore the myriad tangible and intangible ways in which the visual arts can be imbued with a sense of place.