As part of the NEA Big Read, the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs/MOJA Arts Festival is accepting artwork submissions for consideration for a City Gallery exhibition inspired by themes in the novel Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. The novel follows the parallel paths of two sisters, split apart by the slave trade, and their descendants through eight generations. It takes its title from the African-American belief that the souls of enslaved persons returned to Africa after their death. Anticipated dates for the exhibition are November 11, 2022 through January 29, 2023.

Submitted artwork, in keeping with the issues raised in Homegoing, should consider themes of heritage, identity, family, progress, racism, and slavery. Homegoing is currently available at many Charleston County Public Library branches and as an ebook accessible at ccpl.org. Read more about the NEA Big Read here.

Applications are due by October 10.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is one of the books selected for 2022-2023 grant programming through the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, in partnership with Arts Midwest.

Entry Specifications:

Proposed artwork may not have been previously exhibited in the Charleston region.

Only 2D artwork may be submitted, which includes but is not limited to the following categories: oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, printmaking, drawing, photography, and graphics. Work must be framed or gallery wrapped and ready for hanging.

City Gallery reserves the right to exclude work based on the way a piece is framed and mounted to ensure a cohesive look for the exhibition.

Accepted artwork may not be removed before the assigned time. Early removal or late pick-up will result in disqualification from future participation. The City of Charleston provides damage and theft insurance for artwork while on display. 

Submissions

Submitted artwork must comply fully with the following requirements for originality and date of completion:

-the artwork is an original creation completed within the last two years and is not, in whole or in part, a copy of any person’s work or photograph, and

-the artwork was created solely by the artist and not in a workshop, class, or under supervision of an instructor.

Deadline: October 10, 2022

Application Fee: $20.00 (USD)

Application Link:

https://cgwp.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/68778

Selections for the exhibition will be made by late October and artists will be notified of their status by email.

For More Information:

Please contact Anne Quattlebaum, City Gallery Manager, at

(843) 958-6484 or [email protected].

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