Got talent? Got art? Then you’ve got to get to the Chowan Arts Council. They’re moving to a new location and looking for artists to help fill the larger space in their new gallery. Since 2010, Chowan Arts Council gallery has been at 504 S. Broad Street. Starting at the beginning of March 2019, though, they’re moving into the building that previously housed Chero’s Market Cafe on 112 W. Water Street. The sale for the entire building closes this Friday, March 1, and the downstairs space will be converted into the council’s new gallery.
If you know downtown Edenton, you can imagine how much larger this new space is from their current one. The arts council issued a call to artists to help them fill this new gallery space, looking at longtime featured artists as well as undiscovered ones. If you’re a member of the arts council and curious about the process of submitting artwork or getting more involved, here are a few notes to keep in mind.
All submissions and artists are reviewed by a jury, which meets twice each month. They judge based on quality artwork and skill, and the artists with skills and styles that fit well among the featured work in their gallery are invited to display their pieces there.
When you submit your original artwork, make sure you include three to five pieces all in the same medium and made in the past two years. This could be wall paintings, jewelry, woodcarvings, metalwork, knitted items, ceramics, handcrafted furniture and beyond – if you think of your products as visual art, simply inquire! This way the similar medium showcases the pieces of art as a group. For example, think of three photographs that capture different stages of how a cotton field looks between in its growing, peak and post-harvest seasons. Or you may have a collection of paintings that illustrate various glimpses of life in northeastern North Carolina. Perhaps you have three, freshly knitted sweaters. Send it in! Depending on the number of accepted submissions, the council may limit the number of pieces displayed.
Another enticing factor that people don’t always remember about their artwork is that other people might want to buy it! Yes, that hobby you’ve spent years cultivating could actually be making you money. You get to price your own work in the gallery, and keep in mind that the arts council gets a 35% commission on each piece sold.
It’s a system where everyone benefits: A lucky recipient gets a beautiful work of art, you get a business deal and Chowan Arts Council gets support for their mission to sponsor, encourage and create opportunities for the arts to develop and flourish in Chowan County. Not only does the council bring nationally renowned artists to the gallery to share their talents with the community, but they also foster community involvement in the arts, working with school children and offering classes for all ability levels and more outreach projects.
If you want to work with the arts council but don’t have the art skills to do so (personally, I don’t think my stick figure drawings belong in the gallery), you can pledge or donate – either with money or with your time if you want to help at the council as a volunteer. In the upcoming month, the council needs help moving the gallery into their new location, so volunteers are especially valuable right now. Learn more about how you can get involved, whether through your talent, time or funds, on the Chowan Arts Council's website.
Photos: Chowan Arts Council
About the Author Hannah Lee Leidy
Hannah Lee is a fiction and creative nonfiction writer living on the Outer Banks. She graduated from Kenyon College in Ohio with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. Traveling is her passion, but nowhere ever feels as much like home as the Outer Banks. When not planning her next trip or adventure, Hannah Lee loves aimless drives down the Beach Road, spending copious amounts of time in coffee shops and reading every short story collection she gets her hands on. 