Apply today to be part of our next Heritage Invitational Exhibit

The Willamette Heritage Center (WHC) is requesting exhibit proposals from heritage organizations around the Mid-Willamette Valley for participation in the 12th Heritage Invitational Exhibit. This year’s exhibit will focus on stories of sports in our community.

The exhibit will run Friday January 24, 2025 – Saturday May 24, 2025

Application can be found at: https://forms.gle/v6dy9EFuJHEmYSSJ8

Applications due Saturday November 9, 2024 5 pm

Who Can Participate?

Organizations from (or telling the stories of events happening in) Polk, Marion, Linn, Yamhill and Benton counties are eligible to participate.

What Do We Have to do?

We are asking organizations to:

• Select one item from your collections that tells a story about sports in the Mid-Willamette Valley. We prefer 3-dimensional objects, but photos will also be considered if a high-resolution scan can be provided.
• Organizations will loan the item to the Willamette Heritage Center for the exhibit dates listed above.
• Provide label text and any illustrative graphics for a label to accompany the item describing it and your organization by January 6, 2025
• Coordinate transport of item to the Willamette Heritage Center between January 13 and January 21, 2025.
• Because space in the gallery is limited, participants must submit an application In the event of having more organizations wishing to participate than we can physically accommodate, a committee made up of the WHC’s senior staff and two representatives from outside organizations will make the final decision on participants based on the submitted proposals.

Applications due Saturday November 9, 2024 5 pm

What will the WHC do?

The Willamette Heritage Center will:

• Design and print a label based off text developed and submitted by partner organizations
• Provide a case or other appropriate mounting hardware to hold item on display
• Provide a brochure rack inside the exhibit for promotional materials for your organization
• Maintain loan paperwork on the items while on loan.
• Provide digital marketing materials for your organization and a limited number of print postcards.
• Host an exhibit reception open to your membership on January 23, 2025 (5:30 pm).
• Provide free admission to partner organizations’ membership during the run of the exhibition with proof of membership (or other negotiated method).

Questions:

Contact  kyliep@willametteheritage.org, 503-585-7012 ext. 257

Heritage Invitational Exhibit Background

The WHC’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history of the Mid-Willamette Valley.  We cannot accomplish this on our own.  The WHC created the Heritage Invitational Exhibit 12 years ago to highlight the diverse and exceptional work being done by heritage organizations throughout the region.  The WHC envisions the invitational exhibit as providing a venue for heritage groups and organizations to share their message with a wider audience, collaborate with other like-minded organizations, and gain exhibit development experience.

About the Theme – What are we looking for?

Not only do sports foster teamwork, but they can also create a sense of community and belonging.  This Heritage Invitational exhibition explores how Mid-Willamette Valley communities have come together through competition. How have sports brought your community together?  How has the playing field changed overtime?  Have programs been started in your community to help more people participate in sporting activities?  What has participating in sporting events meant to individuals or groups in your community?  The WHC is hoping to feature a wide range of artifacts from the Mid-Willamette Valley that address these questions.  Ideas of items might include sports equipment or memorabilia, or materials telling the story of sports figures or events in your community.  Materials should be unique and tell an interesting and/or surprising story.

Exhibit Planning Timeline