Griots: Our Stories, Ourselves
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Entry deadlineJan 10, 2027 · 7:59 AM
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Jury notificationJan 17, 2027 · 7:59 AM
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Show opensFeb 3, 2027
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Show closesMar 6, 2027
Organization:
The Art Center
Location
Johns Creek, GA
Entry Fee
Paid Entry
Deadline
January 9, 2027
Exhibition
Feb 3
- Mar 6, 2027
“Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
— African Proverb
Stories shape who we are. They preserve memory, carry culture across generations, challenge injustice, celebrate joy, make sense of experience, and imagine new possibilities. Every community has stories to tell—and every person carries stories that help define who they are.
The Art Center at Johns Creek invites artists to explore the many ways stories are created, remembered, shared, and interpreted through Griots: Our Stories, Ourselves.
Traditionally, griots were West African storytellers, historians, musicians, and keepers of cultural memory. Through spoken word, music, poetry, and performance, they preserved histories and passed knowledge from one generation to the next. Today, the role of the storyteller continues in countless forms. Artists are storytellers too, using paint, photography, sculpture, fiber, ceramics, printmaking, mixed media, and other creative languages to preserve memories, give voice to experience, and offer new ways of seeing the world.
What stories do you carry?
What stories have shaped you? Whose stories deserve to be remembered?
We welcome artwork that explores personal narratives, family histories, cultural traditions, identity, place, migration, heritage, memory, community, social experience, or imagined futures. Work may tell a story directly or communicate through symbolism, metaphor, abstraction, materials, or visual language.
Artists might explore subjects such as New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian traditions, Gullah culture, the African American church, African American folklore, Afrofuturism, or other stories rooted in lived experience, cultural memory, and imagination. These are examples, not limitations. We encourage artists to bring their own perspectives and interpretations to the theme. We encourage artists to think broadly about what it means to be a storyteller. Your story may be intimate or universal, joyful or difficult, rooted in the past or reaching toward the future. It may be a story you inherited, a story you are reclaiming, a story that has been overlooked, or a story only you can tell.We look forward to hearing your stories and sharing them with our community.
Artist Statement Requirement
Each submitted artwork must be accompanied by a brief paragraph explaining how the work relates to the theme of Griots: Our Stories, Ourselves.
Statements should illuminate the narrative significance of the work and may share the personal, cultural, historical, or imagined story behind it. Consider what story the artwork carries—or what story it invites the viewer to discover.The statement will be an important part of the jurying process and will also help audiences engage more deeply with the artwork during the exhibition.
A Nonprofit Commitment to Artists
The Art Center at Johns Creek is a nonprofit arts organization committed to making the arts accessible to our community and creating meaningful opportunities for artists. We believe artists deserve to have their work seen, valued, and supported. Entry fees help make this exhibition possible, covering exhibition-related expenses and contributing to artist awards. The lion’s share of entry fees collected will be used to support the exhibition and its participating artists. Additional sponsorship support helps us expand the awards and recognition we can offer. We are grateful to every artist who contributes to this exhibition. Your participation helps us build a vibrant arts community, and we are committed to presenting your work with care and respect.
Awards & Recognition
First Place: $500 cash award
Additional cash awards and recognitions will be presented.
The total amount of award money will depend on the number of submissions and sponsorship support received.
Entry Information
Entry Fee: $30 non-refundable
Number of Entries: Up to five works per artist
— African Proverb
Stories shape who we are. They preserve memory, carry culture across generations, challenge injustice, celebrate joy, make sense of experience, and imagine new possibilities. Every community has stories to tell—and every person carries stories that help define who they are.
The Art Center at Johns Creek invites artists to explore the many ways stories are created, remembered, shared, and interpreted through Griots: Our Stories, Ourselves.
Traditionally, griots were West African storytellers, historians, musicians, and keepers of cultural memory. Through spoken word, music, poetry, and performance, they preserved histories and passed knowledge from one generation to the next. Today, the role of the storyteller continues in countless forms. Artists are storytellers too, using paint, photography, sculpture, fiber, ceramics, printmaking, mixed media, and other creative languages to preserve memories, give voice to experience, and offer new ways of seeing the world.
What stories do you carry?
What stories have shaped you? Whose stories deserve to be remembered?
We welcome artwork that explores personal narratives, family histories, cultural traditions, identity, place, migration, heritage, memory, community, social experience, or imagined futures. Work may tell a story directly or communicate through symbolism, metaphor, abstraction, materials, or visual language.
Artists might explore subjects such as New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian traditions, Gullah culture, the African American church, African American folklore, Afrofuturism, or other stories rooted in lived experience, cultural memory, and imagination. These are examples, not limitations. We encourage artists to bring their own perspectives and interpretations to the theme. We encourage artists to think broadly about what it means to be a storyteller. Your story may be intimate or universal, joyful or difficult, rooted in the past or reaching toward the future. It may be a story you inherited, a story you are reclaiming, a story that has been overlooked, or a story only you can tell.We look forward to hearing your stories and sharing them with our community.
Artist Statement Requirement
Each submitted artwork must be accompanied by a brief paragraph explaining how the work relates to the theme of Griots: Our Stories, Ourselves.
Statements should illuminate the narrative significance of the work and may share the personal, cultural, historical, or imagined story behind it. Consider what story the artwork carries—or what story it invites the viewer to discover.The statement will be an important part of the jurying process and will also help audiences engage more deeply with the artwork during the exhibition.
A Nonprofit Commitment to Artists
The Art Center at Johns Creek is a nonprofit arts organization committed to making the arts accessible to our community and creating meaningful opportunities for artists. We believe artists deserve to have their work seen, valued, and supported. Entry fees help make this exhibition possible, covering exhibition-related expenses and contributing to artist awards. The lion’s share of entry fees collected will be used to support the exhibition and its participating artists. Additional sponsorship support helps us expand the awards and recognition we can offer. We are grateful to every artist who contributes to this exhibition. Your participation helps us build a vibrant arts community, and we are committed to presenting your work with care and respect.
Awards & Recognition
First Place: $500 cash award
Additional cash awards and recognitions will be presented.
The total amount of award money will depend on the number of submissions and sponsorship support received.
Entry Information
Entry Fee: $30 non-refundable
Number of Entries: Up to five works per artist