Gallery History

Owner Carolyn Baxley opened Cinema Gallery in January 2001 in the lobby of the former Princess Theater in downtown Urbana, Illinois. The building dates from 1870 when it was constructed as Busey’s Hall, a multipurpose opera house that operated until it was converted to the Princess Theater in 1915. An Art Deco façade and the existing marquee were added in 1934, and some of the historic elements of the building are still visible in the gallery.

Cinema Gallery showcases work of over 70 professional artists of the Midwest including faculty from the University of Illinois, Parkland College, Illinois State University, Eastern Illinois University, Fontbonne University, Illinois Wesleyan, Morehead State University and St. Louis Community College. Individual and group shows change in the main gallery every 6-8 weeks.