The Stories We Carry

A visual reflection on how Black culture preserves history and creates legacy

Presented by Black Creatives RVA in partnership with the Library of Virginia

Black Creatives RVA invites Black visual creatives to participate in Stories We Carry, a group exhibition exploring storytelling through visual communication. This exhibition centers the ways Black culture carries history not only through words, but through images, design, symbols, and creative expression.

As Virginia marks 250 years of statehood, this exhibition offers space to reflect on the stories that are often left out, overlooked, or flattened. For Black communities, storytelling lives in how we create, how we communicate, and how we move through the world. Posters, photographs, typography, illustrations, and visual artifacts all serve as records of memory, truth, and resilience.

Stories We Carry will be featured as part of the Library of Virginia’s Culturescape Saturday series, opening January 31 and remaining on view throughout the month of February for Black History Month.

Exhibition Details

Call for Submissions

We are seeking up to 25 visual works that interpret the theme Stories We Carry through your own lens.

This is an open interpretation. Your work does not need to directly reference Virginia history, but it should connect to the idea of storytelling as a foundational part of Black culture.

Submissions are closed.

Your work might explore:

  • Cultural memory and heritage

  • Everyday storytelling through visuals

  • Black history as lived experience

  • Identity, resilience, joy, or resistance

  • How design and imagery communicate truth

This is a primarily 2D exhibition, including but not limited to:

  • Photography

  • Graphic design

  • Illustration

  • Typography

  • Collage

  • Painting

  • Mixed media

  • Select 3D works may be considered if they can be safely secured and meet installation requirements.

  • Who can submit?
    Black visual creatives working in both traditional and non-traditional mediums are encouraged to apply.

    Do I need to be a professional artist?
    No. This exhibition welcomes designers, visual storytellers, and creatives working across disciplines. You do not need a formal art background to submit.

    What types of work are eligible?
    This is a primarily 2D exhibition, including photography, graphic design, illustration, typography, collage, painting, and mixed media. Select 3D works may be considered if they can be safely secured for public display.

    How many works can I submit?
    You may submit up to 3 works for consideration. Please fill out a separate form for each submission.

    Is there a fee to submit?
    No. There is no submission fee.

    What is the deadline for submission?
    Friday, January 23 at 11:59 p.m.

    When will artists be notified?
    Monday, January 26

    When is the installation?
    Friday, January 30

    Who owns the work?
    Artists retain full ownership of their work. Selected pieces are loaned for exhibition purposes only.

    What is the loan agreement?
    If selected, creatives will be asked to complete a standard Library of Virginia loan agreement, which outlines the terms for displaying the work during the exhibition period.

    Is the artwork insured while on display?
    The Library of Virginia provides limited insurance coverage for loaned works while they are in the Library’s care. Full details will be included in the loan agreement.

    Is the work for sale?
    Sales inquiries may be directed to the artist. Any sales arrangements will be handled directly between the artist and buyer, outside of the Library of Virginia. Details regarding sales, insurance, and loan terms will be included in the loan agreement provided to selected creatives.

    Will artists be credited?
    Yes. All selected works will be clearly labeled and credited to the creator, and artists will be recognized in exhibition-related promotions.