April 17–18, 2027 | Monongalia Arts Center | Morgantown, WV
The Morgantown Crankie Festival is a community-centered gathering celebrating crankies: hand-cranked, scrolling artworks brought to life through music, storytelling, poetry, and performance. Rooted in folk and community storytelling traditions from around the world, these “paper movies” are made and performed by people (not generated by AI) bringing visual art and live performance together to create an intimate kind of handmade, low-tech magic.
After a wonderful first festival in 2026, we’re excited to return to the Monongalia Arts Center for the second annual Morgantown Crankie Festival, April 17–18, 2027. Save the date! More details about artists, performances, workshops, and ways to get involved are coming soon.
After a wonderful first festival in 2026, we’re excited to return to the Monongalia Arts Center for the second annual Morgantown Crankie Festival, April 17–18, 2027. Save the date! More details about artists, performances, workshops, and ways to get involved are coming soon.
Get Involved Before the Festival
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You don't have to wait until April to make a crankie! Throughout fall 2026, winter 2027, and spring 2027, we'll be offering free opportunities around the Morgantown area to learn about crankies, make your own, or collaborate with others on a shared project.
Workshops are planned at:
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Reviving Ballads: Crankies & Songs
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No singing, art, or crankie-making experience is necessary. The workshops build on one another, so attending several sessions is encouraged, but you do not need to attend all five to participate.
This workshop series is made possible with support from the Mid Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts CALT Experience grant. |
Confirmed 2027 Artists (More To Be Announced):
- Annick Odom (Morgantown, WV)
- Barbara Walker (Morgantown, WV)
- Denise and Richard Warren Smith (Morgantown, WV)
- Emily Lehr (Morgantown, WV)
- Jacob Lambert (Morgantown, WV)
Help Support the 2027 Festival
We're currently raising funds to make the second annual Morgantown Crankie Festival possible.
Thanks to Music to Life's Musician Changemaker Accelerator Academy, donations are currently helping us work toward unlocking a $2,000 matching grant.
Donations can be made through the Monongalia Arts Center. Select “Morgantown Crankie Festival Support” so your contribution is designated for the festival.
The Monongalia Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.
Thanks to Music to Life's Musician Changemaker Accelerator Academy, donations are currently helping us work toward unlocking a $2,000 matching grant.
Donations can be made through the Monongalia Arts Center. Select “Morgantown Crankie Festival Support” so your contribution is designated for the festival.
The Monongalia Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.
Looking Back: Morgantown Crankie Festival 2026
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The first annual Morgantown Crankie Festival brought together more than 30 artists from West Virginia and beyond at the Monongalia Arts Center in downtown Morgantown.
Across performances, workshops, exhibitions, and informal gatherings, artists and audiences shared crankies in many forms, from traditional songs and storytelling to experimental visual art and newly created work. The inaugural festival included:
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Watch Select Festival Videos |
Artists the inaugural 2026 Morgantown Crankie Festival featured:Thanks to the Center for Cultural Vibrancy for their micro-grant which supported several of the visiting artists (*) to be able to attend the festival and the creation of two new crankies.
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2026 Sponsors & Supporters
With thanks to the organizations, businesses, artists, photographers, volunteers, donors, and community members who helped make the first festival possible.
- Andrew Carroll Photography
- Arthurdale Heritage
- Appalachian Gallery
- BlissBlissBliss
- Center for Cultural Vibrancy
- Lauren Bowlin Photography
- Ren Sage Film
- WOW Factory
- &Yoga
Crankie by Sarah Schwendeman
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Stay ConnectedWant to make a crankie, perform, volunteer, attend a workshop, or simply hear about what's coming next?
No previous crankie experience is required to get involved. We're especially interested in connecting with Morgantown and West Virginia musicians, poets, storytellers, visual artists, and other makers who are curious about using crankies in their work. Check out two large playlists of crankies on YouTube and Vimeo to get some inspiration. Fill out this form to get more information. Follow along on Facebook or Instagram or by subscribing to Annick's newsletter (at bottom of this page) for updates as the festival approaches. Questions? Contact Annick using this contact form or email [email protected]. About the OrganizerThe Morgantown Crankie Festival is organized by Annick Odom, a primarily Morgantown-based performer, composer, and community artist whose work brings together Appalachian folk traditions, storytelling, archival research, and contemporary performance. Annick has been involved in crankie-making and performance for many years and has participated in crankie and cantastoria events in the United States, including in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and across West Virginia, as well as at Festival Herbe Bleue in France.
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