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Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition opens entry period

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 [caption id="attachment_52174" align="aligncenter" width="948"]Visitors to North Charleston Arts Fest browse entries displayed on tables at Palmetto Hands in an indoor exhibition hall Browsing the Palmetto Hands exhibition at North Charleston Arts Fest. Submitted photo.[/caption]


Fine craft artists from across the state are invited to participate in the 21st annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition.

As the state’s longest-running fine craft competition and exhibition, objects selected for the show may compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,500. The exhibition is presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Fest, to be held May 3-7, 2023. A $16 entry fee applies, which covers the artist’s first entry if accepted into the exhibition. Each additional piece the artist chooses to enter will be $15. Artists may submit up to four entries. The application is strictly available online and may be accessed via the link at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Artists in need of assistance with the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person. Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique exhibition offers fine craft artists from across South Carolina the opportunity to exhibit their inspiring objects in the media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and three-dimensional mixed media. Thousands have enjoyed the refined talents of South Carolina fine craft artists during past annual exhibitions.
We are pleased to announce the juror for the 2023 competition is Karen A. Stock, professor of fine art at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. Stock earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She began teaching at Winthrop in 2004. Her specialty is modern and contemporary European art. She guest-curated an exhibition at Winthrop titled “Performing Gender” and investigates gender issues in her scholarship. Stock also received a Fulbright teaching scholarship and spent six months teaching art history in Beijing.
The 21st Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition will be on display May 3-7, 2023, at the Charleston Area Convention Center (5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston). A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Convention Center on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, Palmetto Hands, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843.740.5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

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2023 Earring Show opens applications

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. PT

The Craft Council of BC presents the 10th year of The Earring Show, an annual fundraiser, juried exhibition, and sales opportunity for makers to showcase wearable art in a host of mediums.

[caption id="attachment_51618" align="alignright" width="350"] Click image to enlarge.[/caption] Applications are being accepted for the 2023 iteration, to be held starting May 4, 2023. Starting as a local fundraiser, The Earring Show has grown each year, first accepting artists throughout North America and now accepting artists from around the world since 2021. The Earring Show, originally hosted as a one-day event, has now adapted and transitioned into a hybrid format, displaying earring submissions both at the CCBC Gallery in Vancouver, BC, and online. An opening event will be hosted in person and virtually on May 4, 2023, where winners in each category will be announced. The Craft Council of BC invites artists around the globe to submit their work to one of the three categories in The Earring Show: One-of-a-Kind, which features unique creations; Limited Edition, which includes a small-scale production of work; and Emerging Artists, for artists who are currently enrolled in a craft-based program or have graduated and started their making career within the last two (2) years. The winner of each category, selected by the jurors, will receive a prize as follows:
  • One-Of-A-Kind category: Barbara Cohen Award of $1,500.
  • Limited Edition category: a 2-month featured online collection of the winner’s production line.
  • Emerging Artist category: The Lacy West Award of up to $500 in supplies.
All awardees are to receive a one-year honorary CCBC membership.

Key dates

  • Application deadline: January 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time
  • Notification of acceptance: February 15, 2023
  • Additional media submissions after acceptance: March 5, 2023
  • Work to be delivered no later than: March 31, 2023 at 4 p.m. PT
  • Prize jury process: April 8-9, 2023
  • Virtual and In-person Opening Event: May 4, 2023

Show information

Jason Rapp

Applications open for 46th Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, April 1, 2022


Call for applications is open for the 46th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.

[caption id="attachment_48377" align="alignright" width="301"] Provided photo. Detail.[/caption] Information can be found at www.pmacraftshow.org/application. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2022, with a late deadline of April 19, 2022. The juried PMA Craft Show features 13 categories of fine craft including ceramics, furniture, jewelry, fiber, glass, emerging artists and more, and will be in-person at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia Nov. 11-13, 2022 with a preview party on Thursday, Nov. 10. PMA Craft Show artists keep 100% of their sales from the Craft Show. You might remember that #SCartists Flavia Lovatelli (Columbia) received the Excellence in Fiber Arts in the 2021 show. Her winning work is shown at right. The museum’s largest single fundraiser, the PMA Craft Show has raised close to 14 million dollars in its now 45-year history. Presented by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, funds raised support museum initiatives, including education, acquisitions, and special exhibitions.

Jason Rapp

Submissions invited for The Earring Show 2022

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PT

The Craft Council of British Columbia presents year nine of The Earring Show, an annual fundraiser, juried exhibition and sales opportunity for makers to showcase wearable art in a whole host of mediums.

[caption id="attachment_49000" align="alignright" width="400"]Promotional graphic that reads The Earring Show 2022 virtual fundraiser call for entry. Deadline for applications March 1, 2022. A dangle earring is shown. Click image to enlarge.[/caption] We are now accepting applications for the 2022 iteration to be held starting May 5, 2022. Starting as a local fundraiser, The Earring Show has grown each year, first accepting artists throughout North America and now accepting artists from around the world since 2021. The Craft Council of BC invites artists around the globe to submit their work to one of the three categories in The Earring Show: One-of-a-Kind, which features unique creations; Limited Edition, which includes a small-scale production of work; and Emerging Artists, for artists who are currently enrolled in a craft-based program or have graduated and started their making career within the last 2 years. The winner of each category, selected by the jurors, will receive a prize.

Key dates

  • Application deadline:  Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific
  • Acceptance Notification Date: March 7, 2022
  • Additional media submissions after acceptance: March 21, 2022
  • Work to be delivered no later than: 4 p.m. PT on April 11, 2022
  • Prize Jury process: April 16, 2022
  • Virtual Opening Event: May 5, 2022

Show information

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Lovatelli wins honors at Philly craft show

Recognized for Excellence in Fiber Art

[caption id="attachment_48377" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Provided photo. Detail.[/caption]

The craft show committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is pleased to announce this year’s award winners, chosen from 195 artists across over 30 states in 13 categories.

Columbia artist Flavia Lovatelli received the award for Excellence in Fiber Art. We congratulate all the recipients and thank the judges and award sponsors for their dedication and commitment to keeping fine contemporary craft artists at work. This year’s PMA Craft Show is back in-person at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia as well as available for online shopping. Visit all the artists at www.pmacraftshow.org. Ed. note: Lovatelli received an S.C. Arts Commission grant to participate in this exhibition, which The Hub brought to you just last week.
The Prize for Excellence in Fiber Art: Flavia Lovatelli Judge: Gwen Goodwill Bianchi From Lovatelli: “Art is the unspoken language that, which moves us, connects us, breaks the borders and unites us. I try to create work that evokes emotions at the sensory level, fascination, perplexity, curiosity, admiration, and the intense desire to touch it, feel the textures, densities, temperatures. My work is created with strips of recycled paper collected from magazines, flyers, and papers found in my daily life. I am intrigued with the colors and textures in everyday printed matter. Coiling is a very tedious and time-consuming process; it takes countless hours to roll enough strips of magazine pages into coils to create anything of substance.”

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show

In-person at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and online from across the United States: www.pmacraftshow.org Show Dates and Hours
  • Friday, Nov. 5, 2021: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET
  • Sunday, Nov.7, 2021: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. ET
@pmacraftshow on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
Now in its 45th year, the Craft Show, presented by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, has raised over 13.5 million dollars over its long history. The museum’s largest single fundraiser, funds go to supporting museum initiatives, including education, art and fine craft acquisitions, state-of-the-art equipment, and special exhibitions.

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#SCartists get some Brotherly Love

Four accepted to Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show


Fine contemporary craft is back in Philadelphia (and, helpfully, online), just in time for the holiday season.

[caption id="attachment_48293" align="alignright" width="249"] Click flyer to enlarge.[/caption] The 45th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show runs in-person and online Nov. 5-7, 2021 after a preview event Nov. 4. Presenting the talents of 195 juried artists, attendees will have the opportunity to shop both on-site and online. The in-person preview party will include an awards ceremony, and there will be virtual artist talks throughout the weekend. Four #SCartists are being welcomed to the show: Lovatelli received an Arts Project Support Grant from the SCAC for this exhibition among others in prior years. Lenz is also recent SCAC grantee.
If you happen to be in the area enjoying autumn in a beautiful and culturally vibrant city, or you can take off on a whim, the organizers of the PMA Craft Show are looking forward to bringing a safe and welcoming weekend to all who attend. In accordance with the latest safety guidelines, masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the PMA Craft Show, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (1101 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19107). For those not able to attend in person, the artists will also have an online presence where attendees can shop from the comfort of their home no matter where they live across the country. Furniture makers Rob Spiece & Larissa Huff of Lohr Woodworking are getting ready. “We were thrilled to be accepted as first-time exhibitors at the online 2020 PMA Craft Show,” Spiece said. “When we won the Wharton Esherick Prize for Excellence in Wood, it was our first-ever prize and brought us immense joy during the challenging year we all faced.” Huff added, “We find inspiration in Wharton Esherick and to receive an award like this at such a prestigious event as the PMA Craft Show was an honor in every way. We’re really looking forward to bringing our work to the Convention Center and experiencing the show in person this year.” Philadelphia is highly regarded for museum-quality contemporary craft and design, and the PMA Craft Show is one of the city’s premier events. Each November, 195 fine craft artists showcase their work in categories including ceramics, furniture, jewelry, fiber, wood, metal, emerging artists, and more. Now in its 45th year, The Craft Show, presented by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, has raised more than $13.5 million over its history. As the museum’s largest single fundraiser, funds help support museum initiatives, including education, art and fine craft acquisitions, state-of-the-art equipment, and special exhibitions. The Craft Show Committee is dedicated to helping the artists. The public is encouraged to follow Craft Show artists via their social media and websites. Follow @pmacraftshow across social media channels and search #pmacraftshow to help locate artists and their work. To learn more about the Craft Show and to purchase advance tickets for the in-person show, visit www.pmacraftshow.org.

Jason Rapp

Visual art + craft call goes out from S.C. State Fair

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021 [caption id="attachment_29067" align="aligncenter" width="600"] 2012 South Carolina State Fair[/caption]


The South Carolina State Fair is accepting entries for this year’s competitive exhibits now through Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

The exhibits will showcase South Carolina’s finest agriculture, art, crafts, flowers and livestock at the S.C. State Fair, which will be held Oct. 13-24, 2021. Those wishing to compete can view the department Exhibit Guide and enter online at scstatefair.org/competitions “Our competitive events are a hallmark of our annual fair and showcase the amazing talents of South Carolina residents,” says General Manager Nancy Smith, who served as the 2020 chair of the International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions. “We are thrilled to bring people together again to celebrate South Carolina’s rich history — while showcasing the best from local artisans and farmers alike.” More than $300,000 in premiums will be offered for winning entries in our competitive exhibits, including agriculture, art, crafts, flowers and livestock during this year’s fair. The S.C. State Fair, the state’s largest annual event, returns this fall in Columbia. The S.C. State Fair is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving and promoting South Carolina’s agricultural roots while supporting statewide education. Even during the year of this pandemic, the South Carolina State Fair awarded $300,000 in Ride of Your Life Scholarships to 50 South Carolina high school students to pursue their studies at any public or private college, university, or technical college in the state.

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Announcing the FY22 SCAC Fellows

for immediate release


Four South Carolina artists exhibiting hard work and exceptional ability in visual art, craft, and media production and screenwriting are recipients of fiscal year 2022 South Carolina Arts Commission fellowships.

The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) Board of Directors approved four $5,000 fellowships among several other FY22 grant awards to be announced on a later date. The SCAC’s four fellows are:
  • Kristi Ryba of Charleston County in visual art,
  • Clay Burnette of Richland County for craft,
  • Sherard “Shekeese” Duvall of Richland County for media production,
  • and Triza Cox of Florence County for media screenwriting.
Individual artists residing in South Carolina full-time were invited to apply last fall for a fellowship in any of the four categories represented in this cycle. Out-of-state panelists were recruited from each of those disciplines to review applications. Starting with this cycle and going forward, applications are no longer anonymous and awards no longer made solely on artistic merit. The panelists also considered achievements and commitment to the discipline in which artists apply, which can be more than one if separate applications are submitted. Panelists then recommend recipients of each $5,000 fellowship. “Fellowships recognize and reward the artistic achievements of exceptional South Carolina individual artists. Recognition from a fellowship lends artistic prestige and can often open doors to other resources and employment opportunities,” SCAC Executive Director David Platts said. “We will no doubt hear more from these amazing artists, and we congratulate them on this honor.”

About the FY22 Individual Artist Fellowship Recipients

Kristi Ryba | Visual Arts | Charleston County Winner of the 2020 South Arts State Fellowship for South Carolina and a 2018 ArtFields second place award, Ryba’s work has been touring the Southeast in painting and printmaking exhibitions since 1990.  A Magna cum laude graduate of the College of Charleston, Ryba also studied at Vermont Studio School and Studio Camnitzer in Valdotavvo, Lucca, Italy, and has her Master of Fine Arts from Union Institute and University, Vermont College. She has won various awards and scholarships. A founding organizer of Print Studio South, Inc., she served as its president and on its board and has taught locally in both adult and children's programs. Ryba was one of 10 artists featured in a 2002 Piccolo Spoleto exhibit and was invited to exhibit in Contemporary Charleston 2004 and in Helping Hands: an artist's debut among friends in 2005. Her work was featured in the 2018 Biennial in Columbia. Ryba also exhibited at Silo in New York City and her work was in the 2007 SOHO20 Chelsea show honoring The Feminist ART Project. Clay Burnette | Craft | Richland County Clay Burnette is a self-taught pine needle basketmaker who has been coiling longleaf pine needles with waxed linen thread since 1977. Burnette’s work is included in numerous public and private collections—including the State Art Collection—and has been included in more than 250 exhibition venues throughout the U.S. and abroad for 40-plus years. He has also been published in numerous international, national, and regional magazines, catalogs, and fine craft publications. Burnette has taught at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee since 2015. Images of his work are available at www.clayburnette.com. Sherard Duvall | Media: Production | Richland County Sherard “Shekeese” Duvall is a film and messaging professional from Columbia, S.C. He specializes in visual storytelling, film education, media strategy, diversity consulting and is an advocate of Hip-Hop culture. He’s produced commercial and documentary projects for VH1, Oxygen, and more. A 2021 Liberty Fellow, a 2016 Riley Fellow, a Leo Twiggs Arts Leadership Scholar and one of the founders of Columbia’s Hip-Hop Family Day: Love Peace & Hip-Hop. A 2001 University of South Carolina grad, Sherard is a product of Richland District One schools. Sherard is the Founder and Executive Producer at OTR Media Group, and the proud dad of his son, Cairo. Triza Cox | Media: Screenwriting | Florence County Triza Cox is a playwright, screenwriter, and theatre artist. She is currently the South Carolina Ambassador for the Dramatists Guild and is an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Her research and creative work center on playmaking using Jungian archetypes, motifs, and symbols of the collective unconscious. Triza holds an MFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Louisville and has trained with Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and the Mandala Center for Change as a Theatre of the Oppressed Facilitator. Her original plays include A Last Supper; The Willing, which recently received a staged reading with Triad Stage in Greensboro, North Carolina; God in the Midst of it All; and Lil’ Bard which was a semi-finalist in NYU’s New Plays for Young Audience 2018 and premiered at Charlotte’s Children Theatre in a staged reading. Triza has received a Kentucky New Voices grant for her playwriting.
A diverse group of panelists reviewed applications from the discipline in which they work. The visual art and craft panelists were Kesha Bruce, a curator and artist programs manager for the Arizona Commission on the Arts; arts consultant and curator Mark Leach based in St. Louis; and Holly Blake, residency manager for Headlands Center for the Arts in Sausalito, California. Reviewing media production applications were panelists Eleanor Savage, activist and program director with the St. Paul, Minnesota-based Jerome Foundation; and Bill Gaskins, (re)director of the Maryland Institute College of Art’s photographic and electronic media graduate program. Writer and producer April Turner of Charlotte was the media screenwriting panelist.
Four fellowships per year are awarded to artists working in rotating disciplines. One artist from each of these fields: prose, poetry, and theatre acting and playwriting will be honored in fiscal year 2023. To be eligible, artists must be at least 18 years old and a legal U.S. resident with permanent residence in the state for two years prior to the application date and throughout the fellowship period. Applications will be accepted later this summer following announcement by the SCAC. For more on discipline rotation, eligibility requirements, and the application process, please visit https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/grant/fel/.
About the South Carolina Arts Commission The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in three key areas: arts education, community arts development, and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Jason Rapp

Craft artists: apply for ACC’s Craft Week

American Craft Council makes call for art

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, February 8, 2021 Text based promotional image for Baltimore Craft Week, Online April 12-17, 2021

Craft artists are invited to sell work and tell their stories in the American Craft Council's latest online marketplace.

Baltimore Craft Week is a juried, online marketplace event designed to connect American makers to a national audience of craft enthusiasts while celebrating local craft culture. Regionally inspired partnerships and programming will help create an engaging platform, with more than 100 diverse artists from across the country selling work through our ecommerce site. The event is open to artists from across the country who are creating work that reflects the diversity of contemporary craft. It's designed to be an immersive platform where people can discover who you are and what goes into your work.
  • Have your work seen by our engaged craft audience of 56K email contacts and over 82K followers on social media.
  • Our previous two events have brought in $207K in artists sales.
  • Curated shopping experiences and artist storytelling will be a main feature of the event.
  • Programming will highlight regional community partners and reinforce the importance of craft in our lives.
  • We offer artist onboarding and support through our easy-to-use platform.
ACC featured more than 200 artists in  past online events Craft Bash and San Francisco Bay Area Craft Week. Learn more and apply here.

Jason Rapp

Call for woodworking exhibit entries in Belton

Submission deadline: Jan. 8, 2020


Belton Center for the Arts is seeking artisans to add some warmth to the gallery this winter. The center's January exhibit is to showcase works made at the hands of area woodworkers. Artists must submit up to three entries, hand-delivered between Jan. 7-11, 2020. The exhibit will kick off with an opening reception on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. For entry guidelines, visit www.beltoncenterforthearts.org/exhibits.

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