Fine craft artists from across the state are invited to participate in the 16th annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition.  As the state’s only dedicated fine craft competition and exhibition, objects juried into the show may compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6500. The exhibition is presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Fest, to be held May 3-7, 2017. A $15 entry fee applies. Artists may submit up to four entries. The application is strictly available online and can be accessed at www.NorthCharlestonCulturalArtsDepartment.SlideRoom.com. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 15, 2017. Artists in need of assistance with any part of the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.

Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique exhibition offers fine craft artists from across South Carolina the opportunity to exhibit their inspiring objects in the media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and three-dimensional mixed media.  Thousands have enjoyed the refined talents of South Carolina fine craft artists during past annual exhibitions.  Following the close of the show, up to twenty works will be selected to tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2017/2018 Traveling Exhibitions Program.  Sites across South Carolina may request the exhibit to tour in their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists.

The juror for this year’s exhibition is Michael W. Haga, Associate Dean at the College of Charleston School of the Arts in Charleston, SC. As associate dean he is responsible for the School's administrative activities as well as projects related to educational and cultural programming and donor stewardship. Mr. Haga has served as a slide juror for the Piccolo Spoleto Craft Exhibition for several years and is President of the Advisory Board of Fine Craft Shows Charleston, LLC. Mr. Haga has judged numerous exhibitions in the Southeastern United States and has been a grant panelist for organizations such as the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, and the Oregon Arts Commission.

The 16th Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition will be on display May 3-7, 2017, at the Charleston Area Convention Center, located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Convention Center on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, from 6:00-8:00pm. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, Palmetto Hands, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.