The Museum has three galleries - the Dr. Bird Room, the Exhibition Hall, and the Farquhar Gallery - in which we present engaging and contemporary exhibitions by regional artists in a variety of media.
Exhibition Guidelines
We accept exhibition proposals from individuals or groups that represent folk traditions practiced in Montgomery County, Maryland, including traditions that were brought here and adapted. Please send your proposal to Sara Caporaletti, Exhibit Coordinator.
The artist should be a member of the group from which the tradition is drawn or be able to show how they learned the art form from a folk artist.
Exhibits should involve interactive elements that promote community-building.
Exhibits should advance the social equity of the community from which the tradition is drawn.
What is Folk Art?
Folk art is defined as the traditional art, literature, knowledge, and practice that is disseminated largely through oral communication and behavioral examples. Every group with a sense of its own identity shares folk traditions.
Folk art is any decorative, musical, or practical art that is related to a group of people from a specific location. It is art that is produced by a group of people who utilize traditional techniques that are handed down to them from previous generations. Within folk art, there’s a strong focus on historical continuity.
Folk art is handmade, decorative, utilitarian, and is made by and for the people. It expresses a cultural identity through showcasing cultural aesthetics, values, and social issues.
Many folk artists are self-taught or are trained through apprenticeships or by others in the community.
What is Social Equity?
Social equity means all community members feel empowered to participate, prosper, and engage in unmediated expression. We recognize that systemically disenfranchised groups of people are often misrepresented, underrepresented, and encounter barriers to cultural heritage experiences and resources. The Museum is committed to redressing these injustices by advancing social equity through the fair, just, and equitable management of our resources and the commitment to promote fairness, justice and equity in our programming.
Additional considerations
We prioritize exhibitions that fill all three galleries. This is estimated to be about 40-50 works but could differ depending on the type of exhibition and the size of the works. We can accommodate two- and three-dimensional works.
Please find the floorplans HERE.