Not Too Much off the Top: Barbershops and Salons as Gathering Spaces

The Black Barbershop and Salon have long been a haven for the Black community. Not only is it a space for personal care and maintenance, but also a place for community organizing, and jovial yet critical conversations.

Not Too Much Off The Top seeks to highlight this important third space, welcomes all conversations surrounding the barbershop and salon and encourages a more introspective investigation of this institution. This national exhibition is looking for Black artists of all identities in the diaspora to share their experience in this space.

Artists are encouraged to submit 2D and 3D works that reflect on themes outlined in this call for art. The exhibition will run at the Arts Center Gallery in Fayetteville, NC, from January 22 to February 28, 2027. Online submissions are accepted until December 15, 2026.

The Black Barbershop and Salon have long been a haven for the Black community. Not only is it a space for personal care and maintenance, but also a place for community organizing, and jovial yet critical conversations.

Not Too Much Off The Top seeks to highlight this important third space, welcomes all conversations surrounding the barbershop and salon and encourages a more introspective investigation of this institution. This national exhibition is looking for Black artists of all identities in the diaspora to share their experience in this space.

Important References:

Kerry James Marshall: De Style (1993) and School of Beauty, School of Culture (2012)
Devin Shimoyama: Mighty Mighty: The Barbershop Project (2019)

Important Dates: 

• Application Deadline: December 15, 2026
• Acceptance Notification: January 6, 2027
• Shipping/Drop Off Window: January 7 – 19, 2027
• Public Exhibition: January 22, 2027 – February 28, 2027
• Opening Exhibition: January 22, 2027

Prize Allocation:

• First Prize: $500.00
• Second Prize: $300.00
• Third Prize: $200.00
• Honorable Mention: $100.00
• Honorable Mention: $100.00

Curator Statement

In grad school I began contemplating the concept of space and how we interact with it, especially as Black people. I thought about spaces of comfort, routine, and inclusion and questioned what it means to truly exist in a space without external racial pressure.

There is a certain atmosphere in a Black barbershop and salon that feels familial. The community care that takes place reminds me of growing up in Columbia, South Carolina and the many trips to the barbershop, sometimes not requiring service but to simply check in. I recall the faint humming of the clippers, the radio playing in the background, and the overlapping conversations happening between the barbershop in the front and salon in the back. I think of the relationships between my barber and me and my mother and her hairdresser, who became so familiar that they knew exactly how we liked our hair. These memories shaped my understanding of the barbershop and salon as more than a place of personal maintenance. They are where relationships are nurtured, stories are exchanged, and community is maintained.

When developing Not Too Much Off The Top, I considered Kerry James Marshall's De Style (1993) and School of Beauty, School of Culture (2012) with his layered depictions of the Barbershop and Salon and exploration of their significance. I also considered Devin Shimoyama's work with Mighty Mighty: The Barbershop Project (2019) which challenges the heteronormativity in the Black barbershop and highlights the often-isolating experience of being a LGBTQ+ person in the space. Both artists offer their perspectives on the barbershop and salon while also acknowledging the range of experiences and expectations that shape them.

 “Not too much off the top” is a statement that could be said to your Barber or Hairdresser before the service regarding the length of one's hair. In the context of this exhibition, this statement alludes to the conversations that naturally flow while in the chair ranging from playful banter to serious in-depth discussions. With Not Too Much Off The Top, I want to highlight this important third space within Black life while also recognizing the wide array of experiences that happen. I invite viewers to reflect on the everyday spaces they occupy and consider who feels welcome, who feels understood, and who can exist freely within them.

Curator Biography

Karrington Gardner, originally from Columbia, South Carolina, is an artist and educator based in Greensboro, North Carolina. He studied Art Education at The Illustrious North Carolina A&T State University and then went on to receive his Master's in Studio Art at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Karrington is currently an adjunct instructor at his alma maters teaching foundations courses. He is a proud member of the Iota Zeta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and the Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. In his professional art practice, Karrington is a painter and collagist. Through these mediums he examines how constructed environments shape human interactions and perceptions, inviting viewers to reconsider their relationship to the spaces they inhabit. Thus far in Gardner's career he has exhibited at the Weatherspoon Art Museum, H.C. Taylor Art Gallery, and various galleries along the east coast. He has now ventured into curation as he has co-curated the Say It Loud Exhibition, curated the 2026 NC Folk Festival, and now this wonderful exhibition.

Juror Information:

Tabari Boykin: Tabari Boykin is a Durham, NC native using contemporary and current news inspired subject matter to influence the creation of captivating portraits. Initially self-taught, then later trained in the North Carolina A&T art program. Always seeking what subtle elements can be included in a piece to ground each brush stroke into a story not just about the subject themselves but the moment they are in.

Amiah Jones: Born and raised in Thomasville, NC, Amiah Jones graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a minor in African American Studies. Today, she is an art educator and large-scale oil painter living in Greensboro, NC. Jones’s creative practice explores how visual art can transform spaces, connect communities, and shape our daily interactions.

Marquie Walker: Marquie Walker is a Barber from Charlotte, North Carolina currently working between his hometown and Greensboro, North Carolina. He received his barber license from Central Carolina Community College and has been cutting hair since 2012. He became a barber because he was fascinated with the art of making people look and feel their best.

For this exhibition, artists may only submit three (3) works for judging. 

2D and 3D artworks will be accepted. Complete applications will include high-quality photos of work as well as the title, media, dimensions, year, price/value, and short artist description of the work as it relates to the theme. Please also include an artist's biography and statement. 

*For 3D works, please make sure to provide installation details (instructions if assembly is required).

The Arts Council of Fayetteville uses a walker hanging system to hang artwork. All 2D works must have a wire backing. All artwork must be able to fit through a standard door frame. 

Complete shipping instructions will be sent with the acceptance notification to the hanging exhibit. You may also find this information now under Rules and Terms to Apply. 

Questions or concerns can be directed to Arts Council Director of Artistic Communities Michael Houck at michaelh@theartscouncil.com or Not Too Much Off the Top Curator, Karrington Gardener at KRGardner15@gmail.com

• Artists must be 18 years or older to participate.
• This national exhibition is looking for Black artists of all identities in the diaspora to share their experience in this space.