Artist Opportunities

Artists at all stages of their careers are encouraged to submit proposals for future exhibitions at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. The staff at the Turchin Center is committed to supporting artists in a variety of ways. Exhibiting artists receive:

• complimentary round-trip shipping of artwork to and from the Turchin Center
• wall-to-wall insurance coverage for all artworks
• promotion and publicity through the center’s website, social media, and other marketing platforms
• a public reception and a comprehensive honorarium for public presentations in conjunction with their exhibit that can include but is not limited to:
  • presentations focusing on the artist and their artwork, scheduled in the TCVA lecture hall, online, or in a hybrid format
  • gallery talk/tours
  • panel presentations
  • class visits with Appalachian State University faculty and students

Sales of artwork are offered as a courtesy to exhibiting artists. Additional opportunities for educational workshops may be possible. Workshop honoraria are negotiated separately, depending on the interests of the exhibiting artist and the center’s education area.

Excellence in museum exhibitions

While many exhibitions achieve a competent level of professionalism, each year there are a few exhibitions that achieve excellence by surpassing standards of practice in scholarship interpretation, content, integration of audience voice/evaluation, and/or design or by introducing innovations that stretch the boundaries of accepted practice. Such exhibitions are highly distinguished and serve as models of the capacity of museum exhibitions to provide transforming experiences visitors so often attribute to them. Some specific indicators of exhibition excellence are:

• An aspect of the exhibition design is innovative
• The exhibition offers a new perspective or new insight on a topic
• The exhibition presents new information
• The exhibition synthesizes and presents existing knowledge and/or collection materials in a surprising or provocative way
• The exhibition includes audience voices in a new or innovative way reflected through exhibition design or content
• The exhibition includes innovative uses of media, materials, and other design elements
• The exhibition is particularly beautiful, exceptionally capable of engendering a personal, emotional response, and/or profoundly memorable in a constructive way
• The exhibition evokes responses from viewers that are evidence of a transforming experience.

For more information, visit the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) website.

Annual competition opportunities

The Turchin Center offers a variety of annual competitions for artists to submit their work at Appalachian State University. Explore the below opportunities to showcase your exhibitions.

Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition

A program of An Appalachian Summer Festival and Appalachian State University, the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition annually brings ten new works to the university campus. The setting, installation assistance, printed materials, corporate sales program, $22,500 in honorariums and awards, and our commitment to artists and education combine to offer this premier venue for contemporary outdoor sculpture. Visit our exhibition page for information about the current Rosen exhibition, or visit our archives for past Rosen exhibitions.

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition (AMPC) is an annual program of Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs (scholarship fundraiser) in partnership with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. This competition features a complete online submission system and provides both amateur and professional photographers the opportunity to showcase their interpretation of the unique character, people, places and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians. For more information about the competition, schedule and submission requirements, please visit the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition website.

Exhibition submittal process

Artists wishing to be considered for future exhibitions are encouraged to review, prepare and submit an Exhibition Proposal for use by the committee to review the artist’s work to exhibit. Please review and download the Artist Submission Form and send your submission to:

EMAIL

Please send email to Mary Anne Redding, Senior Curator, reddingm@appstate.edu with subject line “Artist Submission.”

MAIL

Attn: Mary Anne Redding
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
PO Box 32139
423 West King Street
Boone, NC 28608

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance does the Center plan the exhibition schedule?
The TCVA typically schedules exhibitions anywhere from 2-4 years in advance.

How often does the center review proposals for exhibitions?
Artist submissions will be accepted at any time and will be reviewed by our Senior Curator on a schedule concurrent with the volume of submittals.

How are submissions and proposals reviewed?
Artist submissions and proposals are reviewed quarterly by the Senior Curator and are judged by the quality of work and how well the artist’s work fits within the mission of the center.

How many galleries does the TCVA have?
The TCVA features six gallery spaces. These include the Main Gallery, Mezzanine Gallery and Community Gallery located in the East Wing and Gallery A, Gallery B and the Mayer Gallery in the West Wing. Additionally, the TCVA boasts several exhibition sites outdoors on our plaza and garden. Each gallery has its own unique qualities, with sizes ranging from large open spaces to smaller, more intimate spaces. The Mayer Gallery features floor to ceiling windows, while the other five 5 galleries feature more traditional controlled lighting.

Can I apply to a specific gallery?
Requests for specific galleries may be made, but the Senior Curator will make final decisions in assigning exhibitions to specific gallery spaces.