In the Main Gallery: Jeremy Riffe's Appalachian Secularization
2026-02-05 - 2026-02-28 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Jeremy Riffe’s photography exhibition presents both active and abandoned churches, placing them in visual conversation with one another. Through this juxtaposition, Riffe offers a reflection on secularization in Appalachia—highlighting churches that remain centers of community alongside those that stand unused, weathered, or forgotten. Together, the photographs explore themes of faith, memory, and cultural transition, documenting how belief and tradition continue to evolve across the Appalachian region.

Exhibition Opening Reception: Appalachian Secularization
2026-02-06 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Opening February 6 with an evening reception and talk with the artist! Jeremy Riffe’s photography exhibition presents both active and abandoned churches, placing them in visual conversation with one another. Through this juxtaposition, Riffe offers a reflection on secularization in Appalachia—highlighting churches that remain centers of community alongside those that stand unused, weathered, or forgotten. Together, the photographs explore themes of faith, memory, and cultural transition, documenting how belief and tradition continue to evolve across the Appalachian region.

In the Main Gallery: Heather Rousseau's Making it in America
2026-03-05 - 2026-03-31
Southwest Virginia has become a vital place for those seeking safety and a new beginning for decades. In recent years, our region has welcomed hundreds of neighbors—from Afghan families following the 2021 withdrawal and Ukrainians escaping invasion, to Latino families who are navigating the complexities of shifting national policies.
This project is the culmination of five years of visual journalism and a two-year fellowship with The Secular Society. Through in-depth reporting for The Roanoke Times, photojournalist Heather Rousseau has sought to document not just the challenges of displacement, but the resilience of the human spirit. While many newcomers arrive with nothing, they bring an indomitable determination to contribute and thrive.

Exhibition Opening Reception: Making it in America
2026-03-06 12:00 - 15:00
Southwest Virginia has become a vital place for those seeking safety and a new beginning for decades. In recent years, our region has welcomed hundreds of neighbors—from Afghan families following the 2021 withdrawal and Ukrainians escaping invasion, to Latino families who are navigating the complexities of shifting national policies.
This project is the culmination of five years of visual journalism and a two-year fellowship with The Secular Society. Through in-depth reporting for The Roanoke Times, photojournalist Heather Rousseau has sought to document not just the challenges of displacement, but the resilience of the human spirit. While many newcomers arrive with nothing, they bring an indomitable determination to contribute and thrive.
Join us for an opening reception with the artist and remarks at 6:30pm from Dr. Jose Banuelos Montes, associate professor at Roanoke College and founder of Casa Latina, and a few songs from Bob Schmucker, singer-songwriter and author, actively involved in numerous civic and community organizations, including advocacy for the local Ukrainian community.

In the Main Gallery: Tolerance Poster Project
2026-03-31 - 2026-04-30
The Tolerance Project is a traveling poster show initiative, a bold enterprise founded and curated by artist-activist Mirko Ilic. The show features posters by prominent artists from around the world whose only direction is to illustrate the word “tolerance” in their native language.
This April, galleries and businesses throughout Blacksburg will unite to display Tolerance posters from many of these designers. The XYZ Art Gallery will also feature work by Graphic Design students in Meaghan Dee’s Advanced Typography class. Each gallery features unique works, so please join us in visiting all locations.
The gallery crawl on April 10 includes BMCF’s gallery at the Alexander Black House, Bird Block Studios, Miller off Main, The Lyric Theatre, and XYZ Art Gallery.
Show runs April 7 – April 30 at BMCF.

Exhibit Opening: Tolerance Poster Project
2026-04-10 12:00 - 14:00

In the Main Gallery: Just Using Our Imaginations
2026-05-04 - 2026-05-30
An exhibition of Larry Bechtel’s sculptures and Ann Shawhan’s mosaics.
For more information about their work, visit https://www.bechtelsculpture.com/ and https://amoremundoarts.com/

Exhibition Opening Reception: Just Using Our Imaginations
2026-05-08 13:00 - 15:00
Join us from 5-7pm for an opening reception of “Just Using Our Imaginations” with Larry Bechtel and Ann Shawhan who have curated sculptures and mosaics that promise to fill our gallery with movement, color, and eccentric fun, including some pieces that require your assistance to complete!
Light refreshments will be available.
From Larry and Ann’s exhibition statement: “We tried to winnow this exhibit to a theme and found what unifies our work in each in our own way is the slant we bring to our mediums. Both sculpture and mosaic art have a lot of technique and logistics involved in the making of a piece which in itself can be an intimidating challenge, but it is what we have at hand, how we put it together in the way we do that is the mystery and the fun of creative endeavor. Who could imagine given our careers that we would be full tilt creatives? We just keep using our imaginations, keep playing with material, and that seems to keep us out of trouble. And in this show we hope to share with you the fun and wonder we enjoy in the making.”
For more information about their work, visit https://www.bechtelsculpture.com/ and https://amoremundoarts.com/

Exhibition Opening Reception: Gilbert Linkous Art Students
2026-05-09 08:00 - 10:00
Our Children’s Gallery features art from Gilbert Linkous Elementary School. Art teacher Shaun Whiteside has curated a beautiful collection of his student’s work from grades K-5. Each class learned about a famous artist and modeled art in their style. Artists Henry Ossawa Tanner, Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Munch, Hannah Hoch, Raoul Hausmann, Aaron Douglas, and Claude Monet are all represented in the array of pieces. Light refreshments will be available.

In the Main Gallery: Soil to Soul
2026-06-04 - 2026-06-30
Soil to Soul is a community show with thirteen local artists that explores themes of sustainable living, homegrown food, and support for local farmers. Using a variety of mediums, the artists in this exhibit highlight our rural Appalachian community while emphasizing the importance of supporting our neighbors.
We invite viewers to take a closer look at these works depicting the everyday scenes and traditions we sometimes take for granted, and to consider this question: what would Blacksburg look like without them?
Soil to Soul hopes to inspire patrons more broadly to support their neighbors, local businesses, local farmers, local artists, and local museum. We envision this community art show becoming and annual exhibition fostering future collaborations that celebrate the values that define our community.

Show runs June 5-30

Exhibit Opening Reception: Soil to Soul
2026-06-05 13:00 - 15:00
Join us for an opening reception with the artists!
Soil to Soul is a community show with thirteen local artists that explores themes of sustainable living, homegrown food, and support for local farmers. Using a variety of mediums, the artists in this exhibit highlight our rural Appalachian community while emphasizing the importance of supporting our neighbors.

We invite viewers to take a closer look at these works depicting the everyday scenes and traditions we sometimes take for granted, and to consider this question: what would Blacksburg look like without them?

Soil to Soul hopes to inspire patrons more broadly to support their neighbors, local businesses, local farmers, local artists, and local museum. We envision this community art show becoming and annual exhibition fostering future collaborations that celebrate the values that define our community.

Show runs June 5-30

In the Main Gallery: BRAA Annual Theme Show - We The People
2026-07-10 - 2026-09-19
This year’s Blacksburg Regional Art Association Theme Show, We The People, explores the living meaning of a phrase that is at once historic, intimate, and unfinished. During the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, artists are especially central to reflecting the shared life of a nation as something lived, inherited, contested and continually reimagined: nostalgic Americana; the tensions of the present moment; simple celebrations of humanity; deeper explorations of political power and participation. Work in this show will depict how individuals understand themselves as part of something larger, how stories are passed on, how belonging is felt or denied, and how a people recognizes itself over time.

Exhibit Opening Reception: BRAA Annual Theme Show - We The People
2026-07-10 17:00 - 19:00
Join us for an opening reception and awards ceremony with the artists. This year’s judge is Donna Cruce Kocka.
This year’s Blacksburg Regional Art Association Theme Show, We The People, explores the living meaning of a phrase that is at once historic, intimate, and unfinished. During the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, artists are especially central to reflecting the shared life of a nation as something lived, inherited, contested and continually reimagined: nostalgic Americana; the tensions of the present moment; simple celebrations of humanity; deeper explorations of political power and participation. Work in this show will depict how individuals understand themselves as part of something larger, how stories are passed on, how belonging is felt or denied, and how a people recognizes itself over time.
