The Western Illinois Museum (WiM) Youth Advisory Council is seeking young adults from the area to share their views of McDonough County for the upcoming exhibit Seeing McDonough County: A View of 2026. The exhibit will be on view at WiM from Nov. 28, 2026, through Feb. 26, 2027. Submissions can be made on the WiM website and will be accepted through Nov. 21.
The newly formed council is presenting the exhibit as an opportunity to explore a central question: What do young adults, ages 16 to 24, believe defined the past year in McDonough County? The exhibit aims to make explicit how young adults see McDonough County. What is the elephant in the room that many may overlook, but that a twenty-year-old can illuminate?

Young artists who live in McDonough County or the surrounding areas, including students at Western Illinois University and Spoon River College, are welcome to participate. WiM will accept work in any medium suitable for display on a gallery wall, including — but not limited to — recorded performance, sound, video, digital art, painting, mixed media, and works on paper.

Each artist aged 16 to 24 may submit up to three entries. The application is available on WiM’s website at www.wimuseum.org. Artists will be notified of selections by email on Nov. 22. Selected work must be delivered to WiM on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Questions can be sent to carter@wimuseum.org.