Quilt National 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.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: MAY 1 – AUGUST 30, 2026

ON VIEW: MAY 28 – SEPTEMBER 6, 2027

ON TOUR: OCTOBER 2027 – OCTOBER 2029

ELIGIBILITY:
– The work must be composed of at least two layers and must be held together by elements that merge all layers, and are distributed throughout the surface of the artwork.
– Has not and will not exhibitions prior to May 28, 2027
– Work was completed after August 30, 2024.
– The artwork must be an original design

ENTRY FEE for 1-3 works:
$50 – General application fee
$35 – Dairy Barn Members
free – First-Time applicants to Quilt National

VIEW RULES FOR ENTRY

QUILT NATIONAL HISTORY

Since its debut in 1979, Quilt National has played a pivotal role in redefining what quilts can be—transforming them from traditional bedcovers into powerful works of contemporary art with global reach. Born out of a need for a space that welcomed experimental, boundary‑pushing fiber work that mainstream shows often ignored, the exhibition became a platform for artists to challenge conventions of craft, identity, and visual language.

The Quilt National archive documents this evolution, tracing how generations of makers expanded quiltmaking to include personal narratives, feminist perspectives, and socio‑political inquiry, helping to legitimize textile practice within the broader art world. By preserving and celebrating these works and their histories, Quilt National not only honors the innovators who reshaped the medium but also inspires new voices to use cloth and stitch as tools for storytelling, resistance, and community building.

• Instagram

For questions regarding Quilt National, contact
Erin McKenna
erin@dairybarn.org

Located in the rolling hills of Southeast Ohio

8000 DAIRY LANE
ATHENS, OHIO

GALLERY HOURS:
Wednesday: 12pm-5pm
Thursday: 12pm-5pm
Friday: 12pm-5pm
Saturday: 12pm-5pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

PARKING
We offer free parking for guests in our on-site parking lot, as well as four accessible parking spaces.