About the Exhibition

HCCC is pleased to present Made to Last: The Legacy of the Jubilee Quilt Circle, held in conjunction with the 35^th anniversary of The Community Artists’ Collective (The Collective). Featuring a selection of quilts made by current participants and founding members, the exhibition celebrates the history of The Collective’s Jubilee Quilt Circle and honors the quilting traditions and narratives of the African American community.

The exhibition celebrates the transformative process of quilting and the powerful connections this art form creates across generations. Serving as loving and creative embodiments of the members who made them, the quilts on view incorporate materials, narratives, and techniques from the past to build a lasting legacy for future generations. Many reference symbolism, such as the coded patterns of the Underground Railroad quilts that guided travelers many years ago. Current members of The Collective often reflect on their ancestors’ preference for hand sewing over machine stitching, a contrast to the combination of techniques and free improvisation they currently use to add their own creative signatures to their works.