*Calling all artists!* Bookmans Grant takes on a pop-up gallery to show talents from every medium, highlighting the importance of fighting censorship and our love for speaking out through art that is inspired by your favorite banned books.

Every September Bookmans takes pride in bringing awareness to topics such as censorship and banned or challenged books. Not only have classics such as All Quiet on the Western Front, 1984 and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shown up consistently on the list of banned and challenged books each year, children’s favorites like Green Eggs and Ham, The Fault in Our Stars and P.C Cast’s House of Night series have too. These are titles that have been challenged just within the past two years! Can you imagine a world without these magnificent reads? A world where creativity has a limit? We try not to think about it -because that can be just as dangerous.

pop-up gallery

This year we’re pushing the envelope and taking it a step further. We’re calling all artists of any level to participate in our “Challenged ‘Idea’ Pop-Up Gallery”. For a total of four days our Grant & Campbell store will be transformed into a gallery with pieces themed after challenged or banned books. Why not express ourselves while also exposing great titles that have shockingly appeared on the ALA’s (American Library Association) list of books?

This means we need you for our pop-up gallery, our fabulous community of artists and risk takers. Do you paint, collage, photograph, draw, sketch, knit, embroider or stencil?! We challenge you to create a piece after your favorite banned book. All submissions will be reviewed (deadline to submit is September 23rd) and appropriate selections will be contacted via email (by the 25th) and displayed for the whole community to enjoy and view in the pop-up gallery (from September 29th – October 2nd). Even better, customers will be encouraged to vote on their favorite works and top nominations will receive a Bookmans gift certificate.

Join in this celebration for censorship awareness and engage with our community as a whole. Bookmans rejoices in the opportunity to highlight radical reads with criminal records. For more information email us at grantevents@bookmans.com or give our store a call today. We can’t wait to be immersed in the awesome that is this artistic community.