2026 International FL3TCH3R Exhibit Returns
with Global Perspectives on Social and Politically Engaged Art
The 2026 International FL3TCH3R Exhibit: Social & Politically Engaged Art returns in 2026 to downtown Johnson City, Tennessee, where it will be on view August 8 through September 27, 2026 at Fischman Gallery. Marking the exhibition’s 13th year, the return launches a new chapter through a new partnership with Fischman Gallery and presents a compelling juried exhibition exploring the urgent social and political issues shaping contemporary life.
A public program featuring this year’s juror, Jessica “J.B.” Burke, will be held on Friday, September 4, with a juror’s talk beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by an awards presentation at 7:30 p.m. and a public reception. Approximately $2,000 in awards will be presented.
Since its founding, the International FL3TCH3R Exhibit has provided a forum for artists whose work addresses pressing social and political concerns. Rather than prescribing a specific theme, the exhibition invites diverse artistic responses that reflect the complexity, urgency, and evolving conversations surrounding justice, equality, human rights, environmental issues, identity, and global conflict.
This year’s juror, Jessica “J.B.” Burke, is an artist and educator based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Burke, who prefers to go by J.B., is a contemporary realist and Associate Professor of Art at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her drawings have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including the Mint Museum, the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, the KEPCO Plaza Gallery Museum, and most recently Aqua Art Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach. Her work has also appeared in publications including Manifest’s International Drawing Annual (INDA) 13, Hi-Fructose Magazine, Hyperlux Magazine, 3x3 Illustration International, and Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design.
The 2026 exhibition represents one of the broadest geographic cross-sections in the event’s history. From 105 artist submissions comprising 275 individual artworks, Burke selected 67 works by 64 artists whose creative practices address significant contemporary issues through a wide range of artistic approaches. The exhibition includes fiber, metals, painting, photography, digital media, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, video, graphic design, ceramics, and mixed media.
Selected artists represent 26 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, as well as Canada, Denmark, Germany, Georgia, Iran, Jordan, Poland, and the United Kingdom. This remarkable geographic breadth underscores the global relevance of social and politically engaged contemporary art, demonstrating how artists from diverse cultures and communities respond to issues that transcend national boundaries while offering distinct regional perspectives.
The FL3TCH3R Exhibit was established in 2013 by art professor emeritus M. Wayne Dyer, his wife, attorney Barbara H. Dyer, and their daughter, graphic designer Carrie A. Dyer, in memory of their son and brother, Fletcher Hancock Dyer. Fletcher, age 22, was a senior Bachelor of Fine Arts student concentrating in graphic design when he was lost in a motorcycle accident on November 5, 2009.
“Fletcher had a profound love for humanity and believed in the possibility of a better future,” said co-directors Barb, Wayne, and Carrie Dyer. “Each day we witness escalating violence, injustice, and human suffering that reinforce why this exhibition exists. This year we ask: What if? What if we could create peace and loving equality? What if human rights were protected for everyone? What if we found solutions that could alter our course as a species and confront climate change? FL3TCH3R artists engage these questions, challenge the status quo, and inspire meaningful dialogue. Through their work, they continue to remind us of our dearest Fletcher.”
Established in 2022, Fischman Gallery is dedicated to presenting local and regional artists while creating opportunities for meaningful public engagement through the visual arts. Hosting the International FL3TCH3R Exhibit reflects the gallery’s belief that art should do more than appeal aesthetically—it should provoke thoughtful discussion, encourage empathy, and broaden perspectives.
The exhibition’s return has been made possible through Fischman Gallery’s generous partnership and support from a grant provided by Bravissima! Women Sponsoring the Arts. Together with the exhibition’s co-directors, artists, patrons, and community partners, the new collaboration ensures the continuation of one of the region’s most distinctive exhibitions devoted to social and politically engaged contemporary art.
The 2026 International FL3TCH3R Exhibit is free and open to the public at Fischman Gallery from August 8 through September 27, 2026. Visitors are especially encouraged to attend the First Friday events on September 4, featuring the juror’s public lecture, awards presentation, and reception.
About the exhibit, visit website: http://www.
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Email: fl3tch3r.exhibit@gmail.com
For more information about Fischman Gallery: https://fischmangallery.org
Bravissima! Women Sponsoring the Arts: https://bravissima-arts.org
For more information about Fletcher Dyer, visit http://fletcherdyer.com/
FL3TCH3R Exhibit Co-Directors:
Barbara H. Dyer
Carrie A. Dyer
M. Wayne Dyer
1821 E. Oakland Ave., Johnson City, TN 37601
