Ciera Alyse McKissick (b. 1987) ciera.am@gmail.com
University of Wisconsin-Madison— 2009
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Mass Communications
Art Curatorial:
2024 Forthcoming — Considering St. Louis, The Luminary [St. Louis]
2024 EXPO Chicago, AMFM Booth #280 [Chicago]
2024 Mano a Mano, Solo Exhibition for Carina Vargas Nuñez, cam.contemporarie [Chicago]
2023 Candace Hunter: The Alien-Nations and Sovereign States of Octavia E Butler, Hyde Park Art Center [Chicago]
2023 Saatchi The Other Art Fair, Group Booth Exhibition, Artifacts [Chicago]
2023 EXPO Chicago, AMFM Booth #457 [Chicago]
2023 Final Fantasía, Duo Exhibition for LaNia Sproles and Juan Arango Palacios, FLXST Contemporary [Chicago]
2022 Relic, Group Exhibition, Arts Incubator (University of Chicago)
2022 Saatchi The Other Art Fair, Group Booth Exhibition, Revel Fulton Market [Chicago]
2021 Just Above My Wall, To The Left, Group Exhibition with collectors + permanent collection at South Side Community Art Center [Chicago]
2021 In Good Hands, Group Exhibition, Curatorial Residency at Compound Yellow [Chicago]
2021 De Sangre De Tierra y De Oro: Solo Exhibition for Marcelo Eli Sarmiento, Curatorial Residency at Compound Yellow [Chicago]
2021 A Composition of Memory, Duo Exhibition at FLXST Contemporary
2021 Saatchi The Other Art Fair, Group Booth Exhibition, Revel Fulton Market [Chicago]
2020 Forget Me Not, Forgive Me Not, Duo exhibition at Roots & Culture Contemporary Art Center [Chicago]
2020 Saatchi The Other Art Fair Virtual Global Edition
2019 AMFM Pink Things Pop Up, Group Gallery Exhibition, Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
2019 Alternative Spaces, Group Gallery Exhibition, Heaven Gallery [Chicago]
2019 Coyaba, Solo Exhibition for Sadie Woods, Connect Gallery [Chicago]
2019 Saatchi The Other Art Fair, Group Booth Exhibition, Mana Contemporary [Chicago]
2019 The V Word Experience: A Social Justice Inspired Art Pop Up for Vera Creative, [Chicago]
2018 Saatchi The Other Art Fair, Group Booth Exhibition, Mana Contemporary [Chicago]
2018 Black Independence Day, Group Exhibition for Allied Media Conference, Baltimore Gallery [Detroit]
2018 Hands of a Nation, Group Exhibition - Photography/Panel Mana Contemporary [Chicago]
2018 Mixed World, Solo Exhibition, Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
2018 Art First Fridays, Monthly - Solo Exhibitions for Emerging Artists, AMFM Gallery [Chicago]
2017 Old Black Magic, Group Exhibition, Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
2017 Black Independence Day, Group Exhibition for Allied Media Conference, Baltimore Gallery [Detroit]
2016 Black Independence Day, Group Exhibition for Allied Media Conference, Baltimore Gallery [Detroit]
2015 Can I See Your ID?, Group Exhibition, Cultura In Pilsen [Chicago]
2015 Chromophobia, Group Exhibition, Cultura In Pilsen [Chicago]
2014 I Am Milwaukee HOME, Art is for Lovers Gallery [Milwaukee]
Independent Public Programming & Cultural Events
2023 A Soliloquy of Sound: A Black Sonic Experience, during Chicago Exhibition Weekend at Pause for Peace Garden
2022 The Collection Plate, An Afro Migration to Relic, The Body as Relic, Manifestation Through Tarot & Words — Relic Exhibition Public Programming
2021 FEAST: An Art, Music, Food Festival (Smaller Mutual Aid Activation + Virtual Activation) Chicago Park District, [Chicago]
2020 Black Independence Day, Allied Media Conference Virtual Edition
2019 Something Chill: New Year’s Eve, Chicago Art Department, [Chicago]
2019 FEAST: An Art, Music, Food Festival, Chicago Park District, [Chicago]
2018 Saatchi The Other Art Fair, Curated After Hours Party , Mana Contemporary [Chicago]
2018 FEAST: An Art, Music, Food Festival, Chicago Park District, [Chicago]
2018 Common Practice, Legacies in Art and Design, Museum of Contemporary Art [Chicago]
2018 Silver Room Block Party Curated Stage, Hyde Park [Chicago]
2018 Femme in Public w/ National Trans Performer Alok Van-Menon, AMFM Gallery [Chicago]
2018 Blooming Fashion Show, Silent Funny [Chicago]
2018 Blanc at Blanc: National Black HIV Awareness Day, Blanc Gallery [Chicago]
2017 MCA Primetime: Off the Rack, Activation, Museum of Contemporary Art [Chicago]
2017 The Jazz Series at Dvorak Park, Chicago Park District [Chicago]
2017 Maskerade 2.0 A Silent Performance Party, Lost Arts, [Chicago]
2017 AMFM in Atlanta, Pop Music Showcase Event, Iridium [Atlanta]
2017 Dapper Ball, Hairpin Arts Center [Chicago]
2017 The Jazz Series, Stony Island Arts Bank [Chicago]
2016 Indigo Nation: A Denim Fashion Event, Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
2016 March Madness: Pep Rally, High School Entrepreneur Tour supported by Ronald Mcdonald House Foundation, Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
2016 Maskerade; A Party Performance Fashion Event, Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
Awards & Grants
2023 Artist Run Chicago Fund Grant
2022 Breakout Foundation Chicago Community Fund
2021 Chicago Park District Night Out in the Parks Grant
2021 Artist Run Chicago Fund Grant
2019 Awesome Foundation Grant
2019 Chicago Park District Night Out in the Parks Grant
2018 Chicago Park District Night Out in the Parks Grant
2017 Chicago Park District Night Out in the Parks Grant
Residencies & Fellowships
2023 - 2024 The Luminary Curatorial Residency [St. Louis]
2022 International Curators Intensive: Curatorial Seminar Chicago
2021 Takeover Residency, Compound Yellow
2019 Chicago Artists Tower Residency, School of the Art Institute
2016-2017 Chicago Art Department [Chicago]
Projects, Panels & Speaking Engagements
2024 Forthcoming — Designing for Dignity Expanded Practice Presentation, for DEEM Journal's Symposium at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
2023 Chicago Histories, Chicago Futures Panel Discussion at Mobile Makers Friends Summit [Chicago]
2022 Community Lunch with Ciera Alyse McKissick, Mana Contemporary [Chicago]
2022 Curating Outside the White Cube: How BIPOC Leadership is Changing the Arts Landscape, Heaven Gallery [Chicago]
2021 21C Hotels Curators Conversation: Erin LeAnn Mitchell and Ciera McKissick [Virtual]
2021 Spinning Home Movies: In Transit(ion) Guest Curator for South Side Home Movie Project
2020 Black Independence Day All Day for The Night Gallery, Collage Video Project
2019 Inspire & Empower: Women Creating Change in their Communities, Heaven Gallery [Chicago]
2018 AICAD Symposium: Cultural Work on the South and West side, Art Institute [Chicago]
2018 Queer Fashion and Style, Columbia College [Chicago]
2018 Night Out in the Parks Launch Press Conference [Chicago]
2018 OUT at CHM, Chicago History Museum [Chicago]
2018 Cliche Collectiv x Adidas, Adidas Originals [Chicago]
2017 CIMM Fest: CimmCon [Chicago]