05/29/2026
Artists whose work engages urgent social and political issues of our time are invited to enter the 2026 “International FL3TCH3R Exhibit: Social & Politically Engaged Art,” to be presented at Fischman Gallery in downtown Johnson City, Tennessee.
Artists should submit entries online at: https://app.entrythingy.com/calls/public/14012/
Consult the prospectus at: FL3TCH3Rexhibit.com/downloads/prospectus.pdf
Following a one-year hiatus, the FL3TCH3R Exhibit is excited to secure a renewed future through a collaborative partnership with Fischman Gallery. The continuation of the exhibition this year has been made possible through the gallery’s generous invitation and support through a grant from Bravissima! Women Sponsoring the Arts. FL3TCH3R Exhibit co-directors, artists, patrons, and community partners are thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to see the exhibition move forward in this new chapter.
The international juried exhibition will run from August 7 through September 27, 2026, at Fischman Gallery. Now in its 13th year, the FL3TCH3R Exhibit continues to reflect the spirit, urgency, and evolving discourse of social and political movements across the United States and around the world.
The 2026 juror is Jessica “JB” Burke, an artist and educator based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Burke, who prefers to go by J.B., is a contemporary realist and Associate Professor of Art at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her drawings have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including presentations at the Mint Museum, the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, the KEPCO Plaza Gallery Museum, and most recently Art Basel Miami Beach through Aqua Art Miami. Her work has also appeared in publications including Manifest’s International Drawing Annual (INDA) 13, Hi-Fructose Magazine, Hyperlux Magazine, 3x3 Illustration International, and Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design.
Fischman Gallery, established in 2022, strives to showcase local and regional art on a monthly basis. The opportunity to host the Fl3tch3r Exhibit falls within its philosophy that art should not only be viewed aesthetically, but should also provoke emotion and discussion and widen the audience’s world view.
According to co-directors Barb Dyer, Wayne Dyer, and Carrie Dyer, this year’s exhibition carries no prescribed theme beyond a broad focus on social and politically engaged art. The exhibit was established in memory of Fletcher Hancock. Dyer, a senior majoring in Graphic Art and Design who died in a motorcycle accident in 2009.
“As an artist and graphic designer, Fletcher used art as a vehicle to connect his creative practice with his concern for social and political issues,” said Barb Dyer, a children’s advocacy attorney. “He was deeply aware of current events and constantly explored innovative ways to examine contemporary issues through visual expression. The ‘FL3TCH3R Exhibit’ seeks to honor Fletcher’s legacy by creating a platform for artists whose work continues that dialogue.”
A portion of the exhibition’s entry fees has supported the Fletcher Hancock Dyer BFA Graphic Design Scholarship, an endowed award presented annually to a student in an Art and Design program with an extended deadline of June 31 for an additional fee. The call for entries is open through June 23, 2026 and requires a non-refundable fee of $40 for submission of up to three entries, with an additional fee of $10 per artwork/title over three. The Extended Deadline is June 24 th -30th, 2026 with non-refundable entry fee of $45 for up to 3 pieces plus $10 per additional artwork/title.
Submissions will be accepted in the categories of audio/sound, ceramics, digital, fiber, glass, graphic design, jewelry/metals, mixed media (2D and 3D), painting, performance/installation (via video), photography, printmaking, book arts, sculpture, video/film, medical/health care and other.
More than $2,000 in awards will be presented during the exhibition reception and juror talk on First Friday, September 4 th, at 6:30 p.m. at Fischman Gallery offering artists an opportunity for recognition and discussion of their work..
Submit entries online at: https://app.entrythingy.com/calls/public/14012/
Download Prospectus:http://fl3tch3rexhibit.com/downloads/prospectus.pdf
About the exhibit, visit website: http://www.FL3TCH3Rexhibit.com
