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Quilt National ’27 Prospectus

QUILTS IN THE EXPANDED FIELD
Twenty-fourth International Juried Exhibition
The Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens OH

Prospectus and Official Rules & Entry Information

Quilt National ’27 explores the expanded field of quilting, showcasing textile-based contemporary art and fiber as a medium for material inquiry. The exhibition features works that interrogate surface, structure, labor, gender, and politics. These quilts merge craft, design, and fine art, repositioning quiltmaking within contemporary art discourse.

KEY DATES

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:  May 1 – August 30, 2026
NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTED WORK: October 9, 2026
EXHIBITION AGREEMENT DUE: October 16, 2026
ARTWORK DELIVERY: October 23, 2026
ON VIEW:  May 28 – September 5, 2027
OPENING RECEPTION: May 28, 2027 from 5pm-8pm
TOURING DATES: September 2027 – October 2029
ARTWORK RETURNED BY: November 2029

SUBMISSION AND EXHIBITION AGREEMENT TERMS

QUILT NATIONAL’S DEFINITION OF A QUILT:

  • The piece must be predominately fiber or fabric-like material and must be composed of at least two layers – a face layer and a backing layer. 
  • The face layer may be described by any or a combination of the following terms: pieced, appliquéd, whole cloth, or stitched/fused to a foundation. 
  • The face and backing layers must be held together by stitches or other elements that merge all layers and are distributed throughout the surface of the artwork. 

ELIGIBILITY

  • Meets the structural requirements of a quilt as stated above
  • Has not and will not appear in any local, regional, national, or international exhibition, including but not limited to group, solo, curated, invitational, and juried exhibitions prior to May 28, 2027
  • Has not and will not appear in a print publication that has national or international distribution prior to September 30th 2026. (Posting on social media is permissible)
  • Was completed after August 30, 2024. The recent modification of an older or previously dated work does not make the work eligible unless the artist can provide documentation of significant differences between the original and the revised versions of the piece
  • The work must be independently created. The work cannot be a result of a specific assignment made in a class, workshop.
  • The artwork must be an original design, not a copy or a variation, of the original design of another artist’s artwork in any medium.
  • Is created by independent effort, unless collaborator(s) is listed. A collaborator is defined as a person who has artistic and/or intellectual say in the design and/or conception of this quilt.  
  • Is completed and not a work in progress. 
  • There are no size limitations on the quilt. The maximum height of a quilt that can be hung is 115”.  If your piece exceeds 115” in height, please include an image of alternative display in your entry.

MEDIA
Open to all traditional and non-traditional genres and media. The Dairy Barn Arts Center’s carefully assembled juries change from project to project, and have no collective predisposition towards any particular kind or style of art.

JUDGING CRITERIA
Artwork will be judged on originality, design, concept, technique, and craftsmanship. The artist statement is considered a supporting document.

  • Originality: The work should demonstrate a fresh and individual vision that reflects the artist’s unique voice. Jurors will consider how the artist contributes to the ongoing dialogue of contemporary quiltmaking through innovative ideas, approaches, or use of materials.
  • Design: The visual organization of the work, including composition, use of color, balance, scale, and movement. Strong design supports the concept and guides the viewer’s experience, whether through abstraction, representational imagery, or experimental form.
  • Concept: The underlying idea or message that drives the artwork. Jurors will consider the depth, clarity, and relevance of the concept, as well as how effectively it is expressed through visual and material choices. A strong concept reflects thoughtful intent and invites viewers to engage intellectually or emotionally with the work. Whether rooted in personal narrative, social commentary, or formal exploration, the concept should provide the foundation that unifies design, technique, and craftsmanship into a cohesive statement.
  • Technique: The skillful and intentional use of quiltmaking methods and materials. Jurors will look for mastery and thoughtful application of construction, stitching, surface design, or embellishment techniques that enhance the work’s expressive content. Technique should support the overall concept of the work.
  • Craftsmanship: Attention to detail and excellence in execution. Craftsmanship reflects care, precision, and respect for the medium—qualities that elevate the work and ensure it is structurally sound and exhibition-ready.
  • Artist statement: The written statement should clearly communicate the ideas, inspiration, and process behind the work. It should help deepen the viewer’s understanding of how the piece fits within the artist’s practice and how it connects to broader themes in contemporary art or society.

Jurors will select no more than one artwork by an artist. Preliminary acceptance will be granted on the basis of the digital image submission. Final acceptance will be granted after a jurors’ representative has examined the artwork itself, following the arrival of the artwork at The Dairy Barn Arts Center. 

Approximately 80 artworks will be selected for the exhibition. Judging will be conducted through a blind jury process, meaning jurors will not have access to any identifying information about the artists, such as names or locations.

JURORS 
These individuals possess a wealth of knowledge about contemporary textiles and art with decades of collective experience in the artistic, technical, and academic aspects of this art form. 

BRANDY MASLOWSKI is a quiltmaker and artist who travels extensively as a teacher, speaker and NACQJ certified quilt judge. She is author of children’s picture book Kristy’s Quilt and the Editor of Quilting Arts Magazine and QuiltCon Magazine. She has curated a portfolio of workshops from modern improv to fiber art which aim to nudge the quilter into artfulness. Her quilts explore meaningful themes in her life such as healing, growth, and friendship and her quilting practice is an integral part of her self care. She leads quilting tours to exciting destinations with the tagline More Joy, Less Overwhelm. She is the founder and host of the Quilter on Fire Podcast and can be found everywhere online as the Quilter on Fire.

BEVERLY Y. SMITH is a veteran high school art teacher of 33 years. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Morgan State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, and a Master of Art Education degree from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Beverly is a mixed-media fiber artist who expresses herself through quilts. Her grandmother introduced her to quilting, and she uses this connection in her art practice to explore a new narrative of equal rights and opportunities for all genders.

Her combinations of media act as encoded sigils through which she seeks to process the past and create imagined narratives that have layers of meaning about time, personal and political conflict, and memory, all the while paying homage to those who came before her.

These emotional and familial ties transform Beverly’s artworks into more than quilts. The spirit of generations is imbued into every stitch, every swatch of fabric, and the quilts become portals to a long gone (but not forgotten) history that Beverly has so generously chosen to share with us.

SHIN-HEE CHIN, a Korean American fiber artist, is internationally recognized for her work, which has been exhibited at prestigious institutions like the Textile Museum in Washington, DC, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. Her art is part of notable collections, including the Jack Walsh Collection. In 2025, she received the Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Visual Arts in Kansas.

Chin has been a keynote speaker at major events, such as the Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes, Women’s Rights exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Center in 2023, as well as the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) conferences in Canada in 2020 and Florida in 2025. She was a research fellow with the Nagel Institute in 2018, participating in a project on Contemporary Chinese Art and Society.

Influenced by feminist traditions, Christian spirituality, and Eastern philosophy, Shin-hee Chin’s richly layered mixed-media and fiber art explores themes of motherhood, cultural identity, hybridity, and belonging. Her work often incorporates elements of landscape and environment, reflecting her deep connection to nature and the world around her. She holds degrees from Hong-Ik University in Seoul, Korea, and California State University, Long Beach. As a Professor of Visual Art at Tabor College, Kansas, she was honored as Distinguished Faculty in 2008 and received the Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award in 2020 for her excellence in teaching.

Chin has also served as a juror for international textile competitions, including Avant Garde at the European Patchwork Meeting in Alsace, France (2025). Currently, she serves as a board member for SAQA.

AWARDS
Awards to be announced in mid 2026.

 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AI may not be used as a replacement for individual creativity. Innovative use of AI may be used as long as it does not take away from the artistic integrity of the piece. AI should complement rather than overshadow the human touch, and ethical considerations should guide its application.

SUBMITTING WORK

Submission of artwork to this competition by the artist shall constitute an agreement on the part of the artist to all the conditions set forth. This will also grant The Dairy Barn Arts Center the rights to reproduce and distribute the images through print and electronic media for promotion of the exhibition and entrants. Artists will retain all copyrights on their artwork. 

The following information will be required on the entry form: 

  • Artist name
  • contact information
  • title of artwork
  • completion date
  • dimensions of artwork in inches (height x width x depth)
  • materials
  • techniques
  • artist statement of 100 words or less
  • confirmation of award eligibility 

ENTRY FEE 

A non-refundable entry fee of $50 (fifty U.S. dollars) is required with each submission. This fee allows artists to submit up to three works. For each work, artists may upload one full-view image and up to three detail images. The entry fee is paid once per artist, regardless of the number of quilts submitted.

A reduced entry fee of $35 (thirty-five U.S. dollars) is available for Dairy Barn Members.

The entry fee is waived for first-time applicants to Quilt National.

Submission fees directly support Quilt National exhibition programming, including jurying, installation, documentation, and public engagement initiatives that make the exhibition possible.

ONLINE ENTRY SUBMISSION 

Online submission will be accepted via a website link at dairybarn.org. The Dairy Barn website will be updated with further information and instructions regarding the specific entry submission platform process. 

ENTRY IMAGES

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Entries will be accepted in digital format only.
  • Image quality is critical; poor photography may result in elimination from the jury process.
  • Each entry must include:
    • 1 overall image
    • 1 detail image
    • Up to 2 additional supporting images
  • To submit time-based media, contact: exhibitions@dairybarn.org.

     

IMAGE APPEARANCE AND STANDARDS

  • Images must be:
    • In focus
    • Well lit
    • A clear and accurate representation of the completed quilt
  • The entire edge of the quilt must be visible.
  • No part of the artwork should be obscured by shadows.
  • Use a neutral background
  • Images must show the quilt exactly as you wish it to appear in publication.
  • Images will be used to verify correct orientation during reproduction.
  • Only images of completed artwork are accepted; works in progress will not be considered.
  • The Dairy Barn Arts Center reserves the right to reject any artwork that differs significantly from its entry images.

     

DIGITAL IMAGE FILE SPECIFICATIONS

(Specifications are subject to change pending approval of the submission platform.)

  • File type: JPG (files must carry the “.JPG” extension)
  • Resolution: 170 dpi
  • Image size: No larger than 1800 pixels on the longest side
  • Maximum file size: 5 MB
  • Compression: JPG High
  • Color Mode: RGB

     

IMAGE FILE NAMING

Required Naming Format

  • Full Image:
     Title of Artwork_heightxwidth(in inches).jpg
  • Detail Images:
     Title of Artwork_detail1.jpg
     Title of Artwork_detail2.jpg

Example

For an artwork titled Snow on Lake measuring 24 × 35 inches:

  • Full Image:
     Snow on Lake_24x35.jpg
  • Detail Images:
     Snow on Lake_detail1.jpg
     Snow on Lake_detail2.jpg

     

Do not include any additional information—such as your name, initials, or the date—in the file names.

TRACKING DEVICES
Artists may include in their shipping containing, or affix tracking devices (e.g., AirTags) to their quilts for the duration of the exhibition, provided the device is safely attached and does not compromise the artwork’s structural integrity or presentation. All devices must be disclosed to gallery staff at delivery and must be securely fastened so they will not shift or cause abrasion. The Dairy Barn Arts Center is not responsible for any damage, loss, battery leakage, or electronic interference resulting from the installation or use of tracking devices; artists assume full responsibility for any risks associated with attaching such devices.

INSURANCE 
The Dairy Barn Arts Center cannot insure any artwork for an amount in excess of 65% of its fair market value and reserves the right to limit the amount of insurance coverage on a particular piece. In the event of loss or damage, it will be the artist’s responsibility to provide documentation concerning the value of the artwork and the extent of the claim. Insurance values listed on the entry form will be in effect for as long as the artwork is part of the Quilt National ’27 exhibit, including the tour. 

TOURING EXHIBITION 
Selected artworks will be available to circulate to host venues during “Touring dates” (see above for dates). Decisions concerning the composition of the touring exhibit will be based, in part, on the availability and physical characteristics of the piece. Although participation in the touring exhibition is optional, it is expected that all award-winning artworks will be available to circulate for the full length of the tour. 

Artwork that exceeds 75”  in any one direction will not be eligible to tour unless it can be folded or packed in its original packaging. If you have questions about your quilt’s size and tour eligibility, please contact exhibitions@dairybarn.org.

SALES 
Artists whose artwork is not for sale (NFS) must write NFS and must list a valid insurance value in US dollars. Artwork identified on this form as FOR SALE (e.g. with an established retail price in US dollars) must maintain that status for as long as it is part of the active Quilt National ’27 collection, which includes the 2-year tour.

In the event of a sale, the artist will be paid 65% of the retail price listed on this form. The Dairy Barn Arts Center will retain a 35% commission on artwork sold.

Should the artist decide to sell a FOR SALE artwork directly or through a third party after it has been accepted for exhibition, it will be assumed that the buyer has been influenced by the fact that it is part of Quilt National ’27 (while on exhibition and tour). Therefore, The Dairy Barn Arts Center will be entitled to a fee of 15% of the retail price listed. 

Please note that if the accepted artwork is sold to a Quilt National ‘27 visitor, the DBAC must be the only agent for the artwork while it is part of this exhibition.

Liability for all taxes associated with income from the sale of artwork, or from an award, is the sole responsibility of the artist. In the instance of sale or award, the artist must provide The Dairy Barn with appropriate personal information for tax reporting. 

Should an accepted artwork be sold prior to the exhibition, it will be the artist’s responsibility to guarantee that the new owner will make the artwork available for the May 28, 2027—September 5, 2027, to display at The Dairy Barn Arts Center. 

SHIPPING 

The artist is responsible for all costs relating to shipping and insurance of artwork while in transit to and from The Dairy Barn Arts Center. Artwork should be shipped in a substantial, reusable container. The Dairy Barn Arts Center will not be responsible for damage due to incorrect packing or an inadequate container. 

All artwork will be handled with care and returned in the original packing material. The Dairy Barn Arts Center will not assume customs and/or brokerage charges. It is expected that an international artist will reimburse The Dairy Barn Arts Center for any charges thus incurred. 

It is recommended that artists do not fold the artwork but rather ship the artwork rolled or flat, if appropriate. 

Quilt National ’27 is committed to aiding international artists in managing the significant shipping costs associated with sending quilts abroad. In line with this commitment, the organization is introducing shipping reimbursement scholarships designed to assist accepted international artists. Applications will be available in September 2026. Please contact exhibitions@dairybarn.org for more information. 

QUESTIONS 

Please direct questions to:

Erin McKenna, Exhibitions Director
The Dairy Barn Arts Center
740-592-4981
exhibitions@dairybarn.org

 

Download Prospectus below: