African American art quilt artists in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, age 18 and up are invited to participate in the seventh annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition, Once Upon a Quilt: Welcome to My Quilted Story Book. The juried exhibition is presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Festival, to be held May 3-11, 2013. A $25 entry fee allows artists to submit up to two entries; limit four entries per applicant. Applications may be downloaded from the Applications page at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 15, 2013.

Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, and curated by award winning and nationally exhibiting textile artist, Torreah “Cookie” Washington, this unique exhibition offers African American art quilters a showcase to display their original and innovative designs. This year’s show will feature art quilts inspired by beloved stories, whether they begin with, “Once upon a time…,” “In a galaxy far, far away…,” or “In the land that time forgot…” Artists’ muse may be a favorite bedtime story, Aesop’s fable, Gullah ghost story, young adult fiction, or an inspiring biography of an admired s/hero. Artists are asked to reach back onto the storybook shelf of their memory and create an original art quilt that tells a story that has encouraged, inspired, comforted, or enchanted. We all know that reading is FUNdamental and by displaying these quilted stories the exhibit hopes to inspire the next generation of young readers and quilters. 

Following the close of the show, up to thirty works will be selected to tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2013/2014 Traveling Exhibitions Program.  Sites across South Carolina may request the exhibit to tour in their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists. Additionally, organizers are proud to extend a special opportunity to young quilt artists who do not meet age eligibility requirements to enter the annual exhibition.  Emerging quilt artists under the age of 18 may submit quilts for Our Next Generation, a parallel exhibition that will be on display at the Unity Church of Charleston.

The 7th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition, Once Upon a Quilt: Welcome to My Quilted Story Book, will be on display April 30-June 20, 2013, on the 1st and 2nd floors of the North Charleston City Hall, located at 2500 City Hall Lane in North Charleston. A public reception will be held at North Charleston City Hall on Thursday, May 9, 2013, from 6:00-8:00pm.  For more information about the North Charleston Arts Festival, the African American Fiber Art Exhibition, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.