Contemporary Appalachian Craft Open Call

Artists and craftspeople are invited to submit work for a planned publication and group exhibition, Belonging: Contemporary Appalachian Craft (working title), at the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum in Roanoke, Virginia. Planned for August–December 2028, the exhibition explores how contemporary Appalachian makers honor, integrate, and challenge craft traditions while addressing contemporary concerns. At the exhibition's close, the Hollins community will choose three artworks for acquisition into the museum's permanent collection.

Contemporary Appalachian craft, tradition, place, belonging, and contemporary concerns such as ecological impact and identity politics.

Open to artists from and/or currently living and working within the defined Appalachian region of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Artists must be at least 18. All submitted artworks must be entirely original in concept and creation, not from a kit or class project. Applications from women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, and Indigenous artists are strongly encouraged, not required. All craft-based media are welcome, including but not limited to ceramics (functional, sculptural, vessel-based); fiber art and textiles (weaving, quilting, surface design, wearable art); woodworking (furniture, turning, carving); metalsmithing and jewelry; broommaking and basketry; glass and mixed media; and papermaking and bookbinding. Artists may submit up to five individual artworks; the required checklist must include a minimum of three and maximum of five works, with thumbnail images and title, date, medium, and dimensions. Submit a current CV/resume; website URL and social media handles if available; an artist biography of no more than 200 words; an artist statement of no more than 200 words; and responses of no more than 200 words each to: what it means to create work both contemporary and rooted in Appalachian history and tradition; what Appalachia means to the artist; and how the work speaks to or represents Appalachian culture. Provide one or two high-resolution JPEG images at 300 dpi of each piece. Submit all materials digitally through the Qualtrics application portal. There is no submission fee. Initial-round notification is scheduled for April 16, 2027; virtual studio visits with curators for June–August 2027; and final notification for October 1, 2027. The exhibition and possible publication are planned for August–December 2028, with exact dates to be determined. Dates are subject to change with notification from organizers. At the close of the exhibition, three artworks will be chosen by the Hollins community for acquisition into the museum's permanent collection.