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Albertsons Library announces fanart exhibit, call for submissions

Albertsons Library will host a fanart exhibit during Boise State’s “Research and Creative Activity Month” in April. Boise State students, faculty and staff as well as local artists can submit their fanart work from Feb. 16 through March 15 to be featured in the exhibit. A reception for artists and the general public will be held April 2 from 4-6 p.m. on the library’s first floor – participating artists will receive personalized invitations.

What is fanart?

According to Henry Jenkins, a professor of communication arts at the University of Southern California, “fanart is a catchall term for any two- or three-dimensional work that copies, appropriates from, or illustrates media-produced stories and characters. Forms of fanart include exact copies of popular characters such as Garfield, Pokemon or Spiderman.”

“Simply put, fanart is an act of love,” says Kolby Alloway, an administrative assistant in the library and Boise State alum who’s coordinating the exhibit.

What kind of fanart is eligible for the exibit?

Student hold crocheted doll in front of B statue
Fanart comes in many creative forms like crocheted or sewn art.

The library has reserved wall space to hang artwork and display cases for 3D work. The number of submissions displayed by each artist will be determined by space availability.

Submissions can include, but are not limited to:

  • Framed art (pencil, ink, paint)
  • Art prints (canvas, metal, wood)
  • 3D prints
  • Pen-plotted art
  • Printed digital art
  • Laser cut or etched art
  • Sewn or crocheted art

Content that is hateful, graphic, vulgar and/or contains nudity will not be considered. Works featuring blood, guns, knives, cartoon violence and/or AI-generated images will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Albertsons Library reserves the right to reject artwork in any form that does not align with the university’s values.

To submit fanart or for more information, please email Alloway at kolbyalloway@boisestate.edu.