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18th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition; Exhibition from March 5th – June 5th

Organizers of the 18th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are excited to announce the competition begins its exhibition from March 5th – June 5th, 2021. 

A partnership between Appalachian State University Outdoor Programs, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, and Virtual Blue Ridge, the AMPC celebrates the unique people, places, and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians. Attracting entries from across the United States, the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition has grown into one the region’s most prestigious photography competitions with over 800 submissions this year. The AMPC is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Mast General Store, who are providing gift certificates for each category winner. 

Supporters of the AMPC include: Appalachian Voices, Bistro Roca, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Footsloggers Outfitters, Peabody’s, Nikon Professional Services, Stickboy Bread and Smoky Mountain Living.

“Despite the continued pandemic, organizers chose to continue on with the AMPC this year,” states Rich Campbell, AMPC Competition Director. “Knowing the importance of the outdoors, especially during this pandemic, part of our goal was to continue to inspire people to engage with the natural world, which this year provided much needed solace and space.”

People’s Choice voting begins on March 5th and continues through March 19th. Go to https://www.appmtnphotocomp.org/ to cast your vote for your favorite image. The People’s Choice Award is made possible by the support of Footsloggers Outfitters in Boone. 

On Saturday March 20th 2021 at 6:00pm, AMPC organizers will live stream the awards ceremony which will feature perspectives from the jurors this year, Eric Heistand and Shauna Caldwell. Additionally, viewers will be able to see the entire exhibition including the winning images. A select group of photographers will also have a chance to share more information about their images. The entire evening presentation will be a fun and unique celebration of the 18th Annual AMPC. To attend the awards ceremony, which is free and will be live-streamed, participants need to register for the event by going to: https://tcva.org/event/18th-annual-appalachian-mountain-photography-competition-awards-presentation/

An exciting new aspect to the AMPC this year is a panel discussion on Contemporary Appalachian Photography on Wednesday March 24th 2021 at 6:00pm. For more information about the diverse group of panelists and register for this event, go to: https://tcva.org/event/appalachian-mountain-photography-competition-contemporary-appalachian-photography-panel-discussion/

“We are thrilled to be celebrating our 18th year of the AMPC” states Campbell. “We had a very strong year of images and were overwhelmed by the support of this competition, despite the pandemic. We have a long history of celebrating the people, places, and pursuits of the Southern Appalachians through photography and are thrilled to be able to continue this tradition. In the past year, especially, it seems as though people really wanted to share their love for the quiet, natural places that are so abundant here in the Southern Appalachians.”

About Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition:

The AMPC is a partnership between Appalachian State University’s Outdoor ProgramsThe Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, and Virtual Blue Ridge, the premier online resource for the Blue Ridge Parkway. The AMPC is made possible through the sponsorship the Mast General Store. AMPC receives support from Appalachian Voices;  Bistro Roca, Inventive American Cuisine; the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation; Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters; Peabody’s Wine and Beer Merchants; Nikon Professional Services:  Stick Boy Bread Company; and Smoky Mountain Living. For more information about this photography competition, please visit www.appmtnphotocomp.org, or call Outdoor Programs at 828.262.2475.