The Visual Culture of Sacred Harp
Berlin bass singer Sebastian Borckenhagen made T-shirts and tote bags for the All-Day Singing in August 2025.
This video explains the process of screenprinting with collaborators in Stuttgart, along with a general introduction to shape-note singing.
IG: @sebastian_borckenhagen
sebastianb.org
h/t @caroclamanda.bsky.social
At the “Burnt Church” in Lakeland, Georgia, the 15 March singing lacked a basket to collect leader cards. Shawn Taylor of Atlanta quickly folded a photocopy of sheet music from the Sacred Harp to accommodate the need.
Origami and photo by Shawn Taylor.
Several singers have license plates related to shape note singing. “FASOLA” is a common plate, but some singers also have references to specific songs. I’d love to hear if you know of any plates that are references to tune names or to the texts of shape note poetry. I have yet to find any to photograph, but I think they’re out there.
blare coughlin of Montréal has designed a striking poster to promote the Sacred Harp All-Day Singing there in July.
A bird of music under the heavenly vault rises above the city of Montréal to bring peace in the form of olive branches. A warm glow spreads across multiple panels. with the sun and the moon, the city bordering the St Lawrence, and an open book. Hymn texts complete the scene and add context.
From the Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church in Daviston, Alabama, home of the annual Elder Roy Avery Memorial Singing.
This chalkboard has been used to teach singing schools since at least the 1960s, and is said to be in the hand of Elder Roy Avery (1906-1999) and his youngest daughter, Mary Jean Payne (1938-2017). It sits in the rear of the sanctuary behind the last pew, but has legs to stand it up, and is brought to the front when in use.
As teaching boards go, this is very “busy,” and there’s an unusual emphasis on key signatures (an alto clef, even!), and the letters of the lines and spaces. On close inspection, it has a wealth of information. In traditional manner, it was used to point out the notes on the scale as the students sang the shapes.
The current Chair of the Elder Roy Avery Singing (second Sunday in February), Charlotte S. Bishop, says that it occasionally has to be rechalked when something fades, or is accidentally brushed away. When the local singers were younger they had singing school all day for a week or two each summer. Later, it was two to three hours nightly for two weeks.
“Teaching Boards” are an in important instrument to transmit shape note singing technique, as well as the culture of singing school. Singing schools date back to colonial America, and are still very much alive today.
Here are some more examples of “teaching boards.”
Here’s another post about personalizing our new books: The Sacred Harp, 2025 Edition.
The Publishing Company agreed to subsidize loaner books for singing groups as long as they were permanently marked as such. You can spot the Utah books by the divot taken out of the LA!
Practical and graphic decisions had to be made to make the books easily distinguishable.
The last picture is a singer’s personal copy, stenciled with a unique design so that it can easily be identified in a crowded room.
Publicity poster by Holly Taylor for all-day singing in New Orleans, 31 Jan & 1 Feb, 2026.
A “peaceable kingdom” menagerie appears to have gathered to sing from a tune book in a local building. The somber border looks more like a graveyard, an appropriate New Orleans setting.
This particular weekend event will morph from a traditional all-day format on Saturday to a “Queer Gathering” on Sunday, welcoming all the varied participants to join in mutual support and celebration.
Are they trying to wake the dragon?
Many of us have seen these or have one at home. Barb Lund of Indiana skillfully makes these useful mugs, and lavishly adorns them with the shapes.
I bet they are still available from Barb, to remind us of the Shape Note community with our coffee each morning .
Photo: Shawn C Taylor
In preparation for the 9th Annual Australian Sacred Harp Convention later this month, Lauren Reader of Melbourne has created a labor of love.
A custom-mixed color, and debossed fondant is layered on shortbread cookies, and then hand-painted lettering is applied. She has faithfully reproduced the color and graphics of the new 2025 Edition.
Some may recall a previous iteration of these cookies in “1991 Red.”
From the “Sacred Harp Melbourne” FB group.
A new edition of the tune book is a fresh chance to personalize one’s copy.
This new copy of The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition belongs to Esther Morgan-Ellis, with a fabric cover by Pam Nunn, and beautiful edge decoration by Lily Hammond.