I Can Hold Your Heavy
A Juried Exhibition & Interactive Art Installation
Hosted by: Artful Narrative Studio
Location: Dilworth Artisan Station, Charlotte, NC
Entry Deadline: June 15, 2026
Artwork Submission Deadline: August 25, 2026
Exhibition Opening: First Friday Art Crawl — Friday, September 4, 2026
Selecting: 20 Artists
What we carry isn’t always visible.
What are you carrying?
I Can Hold Your Heavy™ is a juried exhibition and interactive art installation exploring the emotional weight we carry every day - and how easily it becomes part of our normal.
We are looking for artist who are drawn to narrative work and want to create with meaning - artists interested in personal story, human connection and finding a voice in a world that can be overwhelming.
The Bag as Metaphor
Artists will create original work inspired by the idea of the bag or container as a metaphor for what we carry— handbags, backpacks, briefcases, toolboxes, suitcases and other items that may hold personal, emotional or symbolic meaning
In this exhibition, the bag becomes a metaphor for the unseen emotional weight people carry internally- our stories, struggles, identities , memories, pressures, and invisible burdens.
Selected artists will receive a bag or may choose their own bag or container as a conceptual starting point for their inspired artwork. Work may be literal, abstract, sculptural, symbolic, narrative, or created in any medium.
The bag will will be exhibited alongside the finished work as part of the installation.
Exhibition Details
The exhibition will be held at Artful Narrative Studio, located at Dilworth Artisan Station in Charlotte, and will be featured during Charlotte’s First Friday Art Crawl on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Twenty artists will be selected to create new original work inspired by the exhibition theme. Work will be chosen based on connection to the theme, creative interpretation, and artistic execution.
Artist Recognition
I Can Hold Your Heavy™ is a non-compensated exhibition opportunity inviting artists to participate in a high- visibility, community- centered conversation exploring healing, connection, and shared experience through art.
Two artists will receive special recognition through award donations made in their honor to HopeWay:
First Place Recognition: $1,000 donation made in the artist’s name to HopeWay
Second Place Recognition: $500 donation made in the artist’s name to HopeWay
These award donations allow the exhibition to celebrate outstanding artwork while extending the purpose of the show beyond the gallery walls — supporting HopeWay’s work in mental health care, education, and access to support.
Selected artists will receive visibility through the exhibition, website, social media, artist spotlights, and related promotional efforts. This pilot exhibition also has the potential to grow into future traveling installations, corporate wellness conversations, workshops, panel discussions, and expanded community programming.
Important Dates
Application Deadline: June 15, 2026
Artists Notified: July 5, 2026
Artwork Submission Deadline: August 25, 2026
Artwork Drop-Off: September 1, 2026
Opening Exhibition: Friday, September 4, 2026
Location: Artful Narrative Studio, Dilworth Artisan Station, Charlotte, NC
Apply to Be Considered
Artists interested in participating should complete the application form and submit three images of recent work.
For questions or more details, please contact Becky Keenan at becky@artfulnarrative.com.
About the Organizers
BECKY KEENAN
Becky Keenan is a Charlotte-based artist, curator, and founder of Artful Narrative Studio. Her work centers around portraiture, storytelling, and creating meaningful experiences through art. Through exhibitions, workshops, and community art projects, she creates spaces where creativity, conversation, and human connection come together. Inspired by Kiah Bachman’s original concept for I Can Hold Your Heavy, Becky helped shape the project into an immersive community art experience designed to spark reflection, conversation, and connection.
KIAH BACHMAN
Kiah Bachman, Creator of I Can Hold Your Heavy, is a Charlotte-based Personal Style Advocate and community creative who uses fashion and storytelling as tools for connection, self-expression, and healing. Through her involvement in Charlotte’s fashion and nonprofit communities, she has helped bring together experiences that encourage connection, creativity, and care.
Kiah created I Can Hold Your Heavy, from a desire to explore the emotional weight people carry every day and how personal items - especially the bag we carry - can become powerful symbols of identity, memory, survival, and story. Follow Kiah: @ajourneyideserve