“Saadka Eternal” by Cookie Washington
The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is seeking entries from African American fiber artists from across the nation for a special exhibition presented as a component of the 2026 North Charleston Arts Fest, set to take place April 29-May 3 in North Charleston.
African American artists, ages 18 and up, living in the United States and working in the medium of fiber are invited to participate in the 19th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition, titled Regal Threads: The Majesty of Blue and Purple. The exhibition will be on display at North Charleston City Hall, opening on the first day of the Arts Fest, April 29, 2026, and remaining on view until June 14, 2026. A $30 entry fee allows artists to submit a maximum of four entries for consideration. Up to two entries per artist may be selected by the curator of the exhibition. Artwork submitted for consideration does not have to be complete at time of entry. Artists may enter works in progress. The application can be accessed online at https://
Regal Threads: The Majesty of Blue and Purple seeks to honor the royal lineage within us all—our creativity, our heritage, and our divine right to adorn the world with beauty and meaning. Artists are challenged to stitch, weave, or sculpt their vision of majesty—interpreting “regal” in their own unique way. Submissions are welcome from African American artists creating with fiber using a variety of traditional and non-traditional techniques, including art quilters, embroiderers, weavers, knitters, crocheters, tatters, twiners, collage artists, and doll makers. Each entry must be at least 75% blue, purple, or a combination of both. All shades of blue and purple will be accepted. Two of the most regal colors, royal blue and purple, have long been associated with wealth, power, and spiritual depth. Blue conveys confidence, tranquility, dignity, and dependability. Purple symbolizes royalty, nobility, ambition, luxury, and spirituality. Together, they embody grace, wisdom, and divine beauty—qualities we honor and uplift in this exhibition.
This annual exhibition is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and created and curated by award-winning master art quilter and curator Torreah “Cookie” Washington, who was featured in the Saturday Evening Post in July 2025. The exhibition celebrates the depth, beauty, and resilience woven into African American fiber traditions. Each year, artists from across the nation share works that connect ancestral memory, cultural pride, and contemporary vision. Following the close of the exhibition, up to twenty-five works will be selected to tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2026/2027 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 19th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition: Regal Threads: The Majesty of Blue and Purple will be on display 8:00am-8:00pm daily from April 29-May 3, 2026, at North Charleston City Hall, located at 2500 City Hall Lane in North Charleston. Admission is free. A free public reception in honor of the participating artists will be held at North Charleston City Hall on Thursday, April 29, 2026, from 6:00-8:00pm. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, the annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.