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UNTOLD STORIES EXHIBIT

DEADLINE: September 5, 2026

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Calling all storytellers! The Untold Stories Exhibit asks you to consider the spaces and places you call home and tell us what lies beneath the surface that allows your Appalachian community to thrive. Share your story in whichever medium makes sense: art, song, poem, story, dance, food, etc.

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Submission Details:

  • Due to the nature of the contest, all entrants will need to send a file representing the story to alasfestival1024@gmail.com by September 5th. This should be an easily viewable .jpg, .pdf, .mp4 or .mov or other universal file type. 

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Winners will be notified by September 12th.

  • If chosen, it is the entrant's responsibility to get the physical project to Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville by September 28th at the latest.

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Prizes

ADULT

1st place $250

2nd place $150

3rd place $50

 

STUDENT

1st place $250 + teacher nomination $250

2nd place $150

3rd place $50

Ideas to help you get started...

Visual Art

  • Create a map of your town with hidden layers (like coal mines, family homes, migration paths, or memories).

  • Paint or draw community members (grandparents, local workers, teachers) with symbols representing their unseen contributions.

  • Show how a place has changed over time—what’s visible vs. what’s been lost or preserved.

  • Use materials like dirt, fabric, newspaper, or wood to represent hidden histories.

Multimedia/Digital Projects

  • Mini Documentary: Interview locals about what outsiders don’t see about the community.

  • Photo Essay: Capture images that contrast surface appearances vs. deeper meaning.

  • Short film: Tell a fictional or real story rooted in Appalachian life.

  • Podcast Episode: Share stories, folklore, or discussions about community resilience.

A Written Piece

  • “A Day in the Life” Story from the perspective of someone often overlooked (a miner, nurse, farmer, cashier, etc.)

  • Essay: Explore how your family’s past connects to Appalachia’s identity.

  • Poems about land, struggle, resilience, traditions, or stereotypes vs. reality.

  • Letter to the Future: What should future generations understand about their community that outsiders don’t?

Food-Based Projects

  • Heritage Recipe Story: Cook a family recipe and explain its history and meaning.

  • Create a family recipe book with the recipes and anecdotes from the family members who’ve passed them down

  • Meal as Story… set the table with a meal and include written or spoken stories alongside it.

Music & Performance

  • Original song or ballad inspired by Appalachian traditions, but telling a modern story.

  • Spoken Word Performance focusing on identity, pride, misconceptions, or hidden strength.

  • Dance: Representing cycles of labor, nature, or generational change.

  • Soundscape Project: Record everyday sounds (creeks, trains, voices, tools) and layer them into a meaningful audio piece.

Place-Based/ Experiential Ideas

  • “Hidden Places” Guide: Highlight meaningful but overlooked spots in the community in a pamphlet.

  • Memory Walk Project: Document stories tied to specific locations (old schools, mines, forests, etc.).

  • Interactive Exhibit: Let viewers uncover stories by opening boxes, lifting flaps, or scanning QR codes.

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