East Tennessee State University (ETSU) has decided not to renew a long-running political art exhibition after facing intense criticism from conservative groups, including the campus chapter of Turning Point USA. The Fletcher Exhibit of Social and Politically Engaged Art, which had been held annually at ETSU's Reece Museum since 2013, will no longer have a home at the university following controversy over artworks that criticized right-wing figures and conservative politicians.
The exhibition has been organized for over a decade by the family of Fletcher Dyer, an ETSU art student who died in a tragic accident in 2009. The show came under heavy scrutiny from conservatives during and after the November 2024 presidential election, when several artworks in the exhibition sparked outrage among right-wing groups and media outlets.
Two pieces in particular drew significant attention from conservative critics. One artwork included the likeness of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in a collage that criticized right-wing figures and hate symbols. This piece was subsequently featured in national conservative news outlets last November. Another controversial work depicted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell against a background of swastika symbols that transformed into crosses, which was published on the conservative website Campus Reform.
Conservative critics and individuals who spoke to right-wing media claimed that the artworks promoted rather than criticized hateful views. In November 2024, elected Republican officials in Tennessee demanded that the artwork be removed from the public university. The controversy generated such intense local and national attention that the university began requiring visitors to sign a liability waiver before viewing the exhibition.
In February, the show's organizers learned that ETSU would not host future iterations of the exhibition. Barb Dyer, Fletcher's mother, received a phone call from a Reece Museum staff member informing her that the museum would no longer host the exhibition because "the university's goals no longer coincided with our goals." When Barb requested an explanation in writing, she said she never received one. The 2025 exhibition would have likely opened next month.
The Dyer family strongly rejects the characterization of their show as hateful. In a phone interview, Barb Dyer described the exhibition as a way for people in the Appalachian region to understand "the concerns and worries of people internationally in social and politically engaged events." She emphasized that her son always believed in the importance of debate, free speech, and publicly expressing one's emotions.
Carrie Dyer, Fletcher's sister, expressed deep disappointment with the university's decision. "There's a level of feeling betrayed by an entity that should have supported us, and Fletcher, and freedom of speech and freedom of expression," she said. The rejection was particularly painful for the family given their close ties to ETSU - Fletcher was in his last semester when he died, both Barb and Carrie graduated from the institution, and Wayne, Fletcher's father, is a professor emeritus at the university. The family also established the Fletcher H. Dyer Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to an ETSU art and design student.
Joel Gibbs, the artist who created "Evolution" (2024), the artwork featuring Mitch McConnell that was targeted by conservatives, reached out to the Reece Museum over the summer to inquire about this year's exhibition. A museum staff member responded that "the decision was made that the Reece would no longer be the host of the exhibition moving forward." Gibbs views the school's decision as "a symptom of university capitulation to demands of Trump-aligned officials."
The controversy intensified following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, though the family has condemned the killing. "We still believe in the right to share those thoughts openly and not be murdered for them," Carrie said. "Fletcher wouldn't have been okay with what happened to him, even though they did everything they could to stop the exhibit." The university has reportedly suspended two faculty members over social media posts related to Kirk's death.
ETSU's Turning Point USA chapter was among the first groups to criticize the show, condemning Kirk's portrayal in the exhibition on their Instagram account last November. The chapter did not respond to requests for comment, and ETSU media contacts have not yet responded to inquiries about the exhibition's cancellation.
Several artists and jurors who participated in the show over the years spoke positively about the exhibition's impact and the Dyer family's dedication to honoring Fletcher's legacy. Jason Flack, a Johnson City-based artist who exhibited work in the show for four years and knew Fletcher personally, described the loss as significant for the local art community, which he characterized as "very underground, scattered, often poorly promoted, and easily dismissed." He noted that the Fletcher Exhibit brought together artists of all educational backgrounds and experience levels.
Flack's own work in the exhibition, including a two-part painting called "Culture Crisis," examined issues in his community, reflecting "the poor and the Black and brown neighborhoods of my hometown." He described his submitted works over the years as "holding a mirror to society."
Patricia Anderson-Turner, a Florida-based artist who participated in the exhibition for 10 years, described the event as "intimate and community-forming." Her recent work commented on the destruction of Palestinian olive trees as a metaphor for Israel's actions in Palestine. Her previous pieces addressed historical injustices, including the 1911 abduction and lynching of Laura and L.D. Nelson, and the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
Meghan Dee, who served as juror for the controversial 2024 edition, noted that while the show had previously presented politically charged material, this was the first year it sparked such an intense outcry. "What we lost is another space, another community, another place for artists to connect and share work. We also lost some of our freedom of speech," Dee said. "I never thought the role of art was that everyone liked it or that everyone agrees with it. Good art often provokes discussion and is controversial."
Renowned artist Sue Coe, who served as a judge for previous iterations, emphasized the exhibition's importance for artists whose work might not otherwise be showcased. "It means a lot to artists who struggle with so little support, because they are not for sale or valued in the corporate marketplace to see their work in a museum," Coe said. She added that "all the positive things that came from the Fletcher Exhibit cannot be cancelled by the turn of the tides. It was the perfect venue to honor Fletcher and his belief that art can help humanity."
The family has not yet found an alternative venue for their exhibition but is exploring options to keep the show running. For Carrie Dyer, the loss represents more than just the end of an art exhibition. "In some ways, for me, it feels like Fletcher has died again, when the exhibit was stopped," she said. "It felt like a second death for me." The Reece Museum had served as the exhibition's venue for 11 years before the university's decision to discontinue hosting the politically engaged art show.
