wayne art center



Exhibitions

Art Quilt Elements 2026, the 17th International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Art Quilts

March 23 – April 25, 2026
Entry Deadline: October 16 · Entry Information
Davenport Gallery, Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Gallery

Art Quilt Elements 2026 is the 17th biennial exhibition of this internationally acclaimed show, unique for its professional presentation of contemporary fine art quilts.  The exhibition has been widely praised by reviewers and artists not only for the presentation of the work, but also for the commitment to promoting the art quilt as a fine art form.

Jurors: Toni Kersey, Karl Reichert and Danielle Williams

Wayne Art Center seeks submissions for Art Quilt Elements 2026, a juried group exhibition of contemporary fine art quilts. Selected works will be on display in both the Davenport and Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Galleries of Wayne Art Center in Wayne, Pennsylvania from March 23 through April 25, 2026. For more information about AQE 2026 visit: www.artquiltelements.org.

ABOUT THE JURORS

Toni Kersey 

Toni Kersey is an award-winning mixed-media fiber artist living and working in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Her background as a graphic designer informs her work. She received her degree in graphic design from the University of Illinois and began designing and making quilts in 2005 after studying fabric painting techniques. A self-taught quilter, she has concentrated on developing a creative language that fuses African American improvisational quilt making with painterly abstraction. Kersey’s work is focused on narratives that use visual rhythm and movement to explore the shared cultural experiences of the African Diaspora. Her quilts have been exhibited nationally and internationally, most notably as part of the “Art in the Embassies” program. She explores cultural relationships combining Dutch wax and African fabric with hand-dyed and painted textiles, embroidery and beading. Her work has been included in publications such as Artistry in Fiber Volume 1 and most recently in the fall 2024 Surface Design Journal

Karl Reichert 

Karl Reichert serves as the Executive Director for Textile Center, a national center for fiber art based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A seasoned arts executive, he joined Textile Center in 2014 and has led the organization through an exciting decade of programmatic growth. With its mission to “honor textile traditions, promote excellence and innovation, nurture appreciation, and inspire widespread appreciation in fiber art” Textile Center’s programming includes year-round fiber art exhibitions, classes, and retail sales. The Textile Center Library is among the nation’s largest circulating libraries dedicated to textiles and fiber art, with over 35,000 books and periodicals. Reichert served as a juror for the Visions Museum of Textile Art’s Quilt Visions 2024 exhibition in San Diego, California, and he looks forward to serving as a juror for Art Quilt Elements 2026 at Wayne Art Center. 

Danielle Williams 

Danielle Williams was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, she resides in sunny Southern California, with her husband and their growing family. Since 2012, Williams has worked for Stampington & Company in various editorial roles, including managing the magazine Art Quilting Studio. She comes from a family of creatives and loves immersing herself in the quilting world. 

Call for Entry

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

  • Artists must be 18 years of age or older.
  • Works submitted must be original in design. Collaborative works are accepted.
  • Work must have been completed in the last two years (after January 1, 2024).
  • Work previously exhibited at Wayne Art Center is not eligible.
  • All work must be for sale.
  • Work must remain on display for the duration of the exhibit.
  • Size Limitations:  Works of any size not exceeding 12' (144") high will be considered.
  • All artwork submitted online to AQE 2026 MUST be available for the entire duration of the jurying process and exhibition.  If a piece is accepted to both AQE 2026 and a simultaneously running exhibit, the piece must only be exhibited in AQE 2026. 
  • Withdrawal of invited work by the artist prior to the exhibition will result in exclusion from exhibiting at WAC the following year.
  • Wayne Art Center reserves the right to reject entries that do not meet the requirements.  Work that differs from the work invited through digital submissions will be disqualified.

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