Look back at WCU's long history of art collection
February 10, 2026 | In the PressFrom The Mountaineer (https://www.themountaineer.com/life/arts_entertainment/look-back-at-wcus-long-history-of-art-collection/article_932a5487-7475-433a-a433-b56ba1ca1e06.html)
Step into a visual timeline celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum, with a dynamic exhibition showcasing decades of WCU’s dedication to collecting and curating contemporary art. The exhibit’s opening reception will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 at the Bardo Arts Center.
Visitors will encounter artwork from each chapter of the museum’s history, reflecting the people, places, and priorities that shaped its collection. The exhibition also commemorates the Museum’s national accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums — an honor held by only a select 3% of U.S. museums. With each work on view, the 20th Anniversary Exhibition invites you to experience the legacy and future of art at Western Carolina University.
This special anniversary show honors the museum’s foundational Belk and Chelsea Galleries, highlighting key moments from its early focus on studio glass and women artists to its evolving commitment to contemporary Native American voices.
The Belk Gallery, launched in 1972 within the newly constructed Belk Building as part of the Department of Art, showcased contemporary artists across media and developed a notable focus on studio glass under Joan Falconer Byrd’s curatorial leadership.
Around 1978, the Chelsea Gallery opened in the University Center, presenting a robust schedule of exhibitions and producing scholarly catalogues. Both galleries operated until 2003 before their programs were sunset for the opening of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in 2005. At that time, the WCU Fine Arts Museum became part of the College of Fine and Performing Arts.
This exhibition commemorates the 20th anniversary of the WCU Fine Art Museum and celebrates WCU’s 54-year legacy of collecting and presenting art.
Now the WCU Fine Art Museum’s collection holds over 2,100 works of contemporary art and continues to grow each year. This collection supports the museum’s dynamic exhibition program, enhances student learning through object-based experiences, and provides a catalyst for interdisciplinary dialogue across the campus community and the WNC region.
The exhibition will showcase artwork in a wide variety of mediums including paintings, drawings, prints, and photography as well as ceramics, glass, and artist books.
The exhibition will be on view through July 2. Free parking is available after 5 p.m. at the Bardo Arts Center parking lot at 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee. Visit arts.wcu.edu/20-anniversary.
