Before you begin
Important: Please read the gallery policies before submitting your proposal.
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We invite artists to explore the spirit, emotion, and rhythm of jazz through visual art. In dialogue with Boone’s High Country Jazz Festival, The Art of Jazz: Artistic Response challenges artists to reflect on the question: What does jazz mean to you?
Artists are invited to explore jazz through imaginative, interpretive, and conceptual approaches. We welcome work that channels the spirit of jazz, its improvisation, rhythm, movement, tension, harmony, and cultural resonance through abstraction, symbolism, and experimentation. Literal scenes are not required; instead, artists are encouraged to translate the feeling, structure, and cultural conversations of jazz into compelling visual expressions. The exhibition aims to reflect the dynamic energy surrounding jazz in the High Country during the lead-up to and throughout the Jazz Festival season.
This juried exhibition will be presented at WAC with a special reception and presentation at the Appalachian Theatre on June 11th, as part of the kickoff to Jazz Fest (June 10-14).
Requirements / Other Info:
- You may submit no more than 3 pieces for consideration in this exhibit.
- There is a $35 application fee
- 2-D Media: Wetmedia, Painting, Drawing, Pastel, (watercolor, acrylic, oil, etc.) (No photography)
- Presentation: Artwork must be ready to hang upon drop-off
- Frames: Frames are not required, but pieces must be hang ready if selected
- Deadline: All works must be submitted for consideration via this form by March 31st, 2026.
- Awards: Cash awards will be presented in connection with this exhibition. Details to be announced.
- All WAC exhibits are juried by a diverse panel of local artists, arts professionals, and arts business owners with backgrounds in various mediums.
- You will be notified on April 20th, 2026 of your application status.
The Art of Jazz is part of a broader celebration of jazz culture in the High Country, connecting visual artists with the music, history, and community surrounding the annual festival.
About Jazz Fest in Downtown Boone
The High Country Jazz Festival, Boone’s premier jazz celebration, brings live jazz music throughout the area each June. Held June 10 to June 14, 2026, the festival features performances by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists at venues such as the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, along with outdoor concerts, free lawn performances, jazz brunches, lectures, workshops, and jam sessions that take place in and around downtown Boone and Blowing Rock. This vibrant multi-day event attracts music lovers to the High Country and energizes the community with world-class jazz and cultural experiences.