The Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA) is excited to again call students, alumni artists, faculty, and staff of Athens State University and Calhoun Community College for the tenth annual juried Festival of the Cranes Exhibition.

We encourage innovative and progressive works that utilize a diversity of art forms and media that depicts Whooping cranes, Sandhill cranes, birds, waterfowl, ducks, geese, raptors, eagles, falcons, owls, fish, deer, other wildlife, nature, and anything to do with General Joe Wheeler (“Fighting Joe”) or his home, Pond Spring, in nearby Hillsboro, Alabama.

This event is in conjunction with the annual Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Festival of the Cranes to be held on Friday through Sunday, January 12-14, 2024. (Note: the ACA will have special hours, 9am-4pm, on Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 12-14. There will be events throughout the weekend at the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Princess Theatre, Cook Museum, Carnegie Visual Arts Center, ACA, and more. (The Refuge’s Visitors Center will still be closed due to their on-going renovation project.)

Artists may submit up to three works of art in JPG form along with the entry form for consideration by our juror. No more than three works per artist will be selected. Works selected for the show will be displayed in the Walking Gallery (first floor) of the Visual Arts building at the Alabama Center for the Arts in historic Downtown Decatur.

Call (256) 260-4299 or email Jennifer.Bunnell@athens.edu with any questions.