Open Call: Contemporary Appalachian Craft

Belonging: Contemporary Appalachian Craft (working title)

The Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University invites artists and craftspeople to submit work for a planned publication and an upcoming group exhibition (Fall 2028) celebrating the evolving landscape of contemporary craft in the Appalachian region. At the close of the exhibition, three artworks will be chosen by the Hollins community to be acquired by the museum for its permanent collection.

Hollins University is a historic, private liberal arts university set on a 475-acre campus in Roanoke, Virginia. Nestled in the Roanoke Valley at the foot of Tinker Mountain, the campus sits roughly 20 minutes from the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Located on the Hollins campus, the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum features three modern, interconnected galleries spanning 4,000 square feet. Admission is free and open to the public, showcasing contemporary and modern art from regional, national, and emerging artists.

Eligibility Criteria

• 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
• Artist must be at least 18 years of age
• All submitted artworks must be entirely original in concept and creation (not from a kit or class project)