Upcountry History Museum’s CEO to serve as national judge

Dana Thorpe, Chief Executive Officer of the Upcountry History Museum-Furman University, a Smithsonian Affiliate, has been selected by the Costume Society of America to serve as a judge for the 44th Annual Meeting and National Symposium’s Innovative Showcase Design Exhibition March 13-16, 2018, in Williamsburg, VA.

Celebrating dress studies as a catalyst to wider communities of learning, research and creative exploration, the focus of this year’s Symposium is on the “making” aspects of projects, production and/or design. Under the heading of “Making Connections: Manufacturing Knowledge through Dress Studies,” submissions of every kind of textile-based creative work will be considered, including costumes, reproductions, fashion or textile designs, fiber arts, textile-based handcrafts, weaving, projects that explore the role of technology in production and/or design, or projects that showcase connections between dress and other fields or areas of application

The Costume Society of America advances the global understanding of all aspects of dress and appearance. Its five purposes are to stimulate scholarship and encourage study in the rich and diverse field of costume; to disseminate information on dress and appearance; to raise the profile and credibility of the field of costume; to network among our members and with other people and organizations having costume interests; and to manage and govern the organization to serve the membership.

Thorpe has more than 30 years of experience in the museum profession having served in key leadership and director positions at the Association of Children’s Museums, Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, the Rock County Historical Society in Madison, WI and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, to name a few.

The Upcountry History Museum is located at 540 Buncombe St., in Greenville, S.C. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 864-467-3100 or visit www.upcountryhistory.org.