The Step Gallery serves as both an MFA thesis exhibition space as well as a proposal-driven and student-run gallery in the ASU Herberger Institute School of Art. While these MFA exhibits represent one of the requirements for the fulfillment of the MFA degree under School of Art and Graduate Education procedures, the proposal-driven exhibitions allow undergraduates, graduates, alumni, and faculty unique curatorial and exhibition opportunities. Exhibitions may include group shows mounted by areas of the school, alumni or current student exhibitions, faculty exhibitions, exhibitions organized in cooperation with campus galleries, conference organizers or other fine art organizations such as local collections or other universities and traveling or exchange exhibits from peer institutions. Exhibition proposals are solicited from the School of Art community, reviewed, and selected by the school's gallery and exhibitions committee made of local arts professionals. The gallery teaching assistant, gallery technician and members of the gallery exhibitions class administer and provide installation assistance to the exhibitors. In recognition of the primary function of the gallery as an academic and teaching tool of the School of Art, the selection of exhibitions will inevitably, over time, include content not appreciated or understood by all viewers and visitors. If educational value can be demonstrated, diverse content is sought and controversy is not avoided.
