The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a yearlong series of exhibitions, events, and initiatives beginning in August 2025. Highlights include the opening of permanent collection galleries with 'Together Again, 1956-2026,' a solo show of Oakland artist Woody De Othello titled 'coming forth by day,' a new public bronze sculpture by Othello on campus, a digitization project expanding online access to the Fine Arts Collection, and a career retrospective of Oakland artist Kota Ezawa as part of the inaugural Further Triennial.
This anniversary matters because it marks the museum's evolution from a new institution into a vital cultural hub for Northern California art, with a focus on expanding access—both physically through public sculpture and digitally through a first-of-its-kind partnership with the UC Davis library. The programming emphasizes overlooked artists and rising stars alongside established figures, reflecting a more inclusive, place-based art history. The digitization project in particular signals a shift toward broader public engagement with university art collections, potentially serving as a model for other institutions.