Appalachian Youth Art Showcase Highlights Creativity and Impact of Art Education

ETSU's Slocumb Galleries hosts exhibit celebrating regional middle and high school students' artwork

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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East Tennessee State University's Slocumb Galleries is hosting an art exhibit titled "Visualize Your Future: An Appalachian Youth Art Showcase" that features the creative works of middle and high school students from the region. The exhibit, curated by ETSU alumni, aims to celebrate the youth's artistic talents and recognize the importance of art education in Appalachia.

Why it matters

The exhibit serves to highlight the often-overlooked impact of art education in the Appalachian region, showcasing how art teachers play a critical role in nurturing students' creativity, resourcefulness, and overall well-being. By providing a platform for these young artists, the university and community can advocate for greater support and investment in arts programming for youth development.

The details

The showcased artworks span a wide range of media, including painting, drawing, and printmaking, all created by K-12 students invited through their school art teachers and administrators. The exhibit also features a standout ceramic work created by University School high school students, who received a workshop and demonstration from Black craft artist Jeremy Myles.

  • The exhibit opened on February 11, 2026 at ETSU's Slocumb Galleries in Johnson City, Tennessee.
  • A reception will be held on February 13, 2026 to give the community a chance to meet the young artists.

The players

Amber Farley

ETSU alumni who curated the Visualize Your Future exhibit.

Akintayo Akintobi

ETSU alumni who curated the Visualize Your Future exhibit.

Karlota Contreras-Koterbay

Director of Slocumb Galleries at ETSU, who emphasized the exhibit's purpose of celebrating Appalachian youth's creativity and recognizing the significance of art education in the region.

Jeremy Myles

Black craft artist who conducted a ceramic workshop and hand-building demonstration for the University School high school students whose work is featured in the exhibit.

Lyn Govette

The late Slocumb Galleries community engagement coordinator who coordinated the ceramic workshop led by Jeremy Myles.

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What they’re saying

“[The exhibit is] a celebration of Appalachian youth's creativity and a recognition of the efforts and significance of art education in the region.”

— Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, Director of Slocumb Galleries at ETSU (easttennessean.com)

“Art teachers play a critical role in student development, [they are] unsung heroes who mentor these kids to help them think creatively, be resourceful of materials, experiment with ideas and learn techniques that are helpful to physical, mental well-being.”

— Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, Director of Slocumb Galleries at ETSU (easttennessean.com)

What’s next

The Visualize Your Future exhibit is the beginning of 'biennial programming that we will organize... [to] feature various schools in our community,' according to Karlota Contreras-Koterbay.

The takeaway

This exhibit not only showcases the remarkable creativity of Appalachian youth, but also underscores the vital role that art education plays in nurturing their development. By providing a platform for these young artists, the university and community are taking steps to advocate for greater investment and support in arts programming, which can have a profound impact on the well-being and future success of students in the region.