June 7 & 8
Columbia, Missouri
Presented by the Columbia Art League
Stephens Lake Park
Sat. 10am-5pm; Sun. 10am-4pm
110 Artists
Deadline: Feb. 7, 2014
Apply at: www.ArtInTheParkColumbia.org
Art in the Park is the oldest and largest art festival in mid-Missouri. It is the highlight of the summer season in this arts-focused city, home of the University of Missouri and winner of the first ever Missouri Arts Council's Creative Community Award in 2007.
The 2014 festival will be held at Stephens Lake Park, a historic tree-lined park set around the serene Stephens Lake. In support of the main event, Columbia's premier Fine Arts & Crafts Fair, the 2014 Art in the Park will include strolling children's entertainment, a children's art area, and Emerging Artist Pavilion showing work by local high school and undergraduate students, a Young Collector's Tent, and food court.
Key to the festival's success is a dedication to promote the importance of art sales by the organizers, Columbia Art League. Executive Director, Diana Moxon, has run the festival for the past 8 years and sees her mission as an advocate for the visiting artists. Her advance media mantra is that it's not enough simply to show up, but that shopping for art is vital to the longevity of the festival.
Expect a comprehensive marketing campaign:
- TV, Radio, local, regional & national print media, billboards, yard signs, social networking, postcards, posters and web campaigns
- The festival enjoys repeat sponsorship year on year from a variety of local banks and businesses.
Cash awards are $4,250 with a top prize of $1,000. The festival is designated a Signature Series event by the local Convention & Visitor's Bureau and supported by Columbia's Office of Cultural Affairs and the Missouri Arts council. Festival entrance is free and estimated attendance is around 15,000.
Amenities for Artists include:
- Artist breakfast at the park on Sat. and Sun.
- Artist Award Dinner Sat. night
- Lunch boxes delivered to booths on Sat., Artist Hospitality tent with snacks
- Limited edition festival reusable acrylic tumbler
- Water delivered to artist's booths all weekend
- Booth sitters, extensive volunteer assistance with load-in and load-out
- Hotel discounts
Every other show should take notes from what Art in the Park does and try to emulate the standards they set. The festival setting is beautiful and the work that the Columbia Art League and their volunteers do to make the event successful is outstanding: Reinhard Herzog, Ballwin, MO (2010-2013)
Thanks again for the best run event I ever attended. I always enjoy Columbia and you all make it great.Mike McNeil, Bloomington, IL (2013)
If organizers of other shows would use you as a role model, we would have many better shows out there! You do so much advertising and listening to artists. I appreciate all your efforts." Kris Clement, Springfield, MO (2013)
Wonderful show, wonderful artist treatment. I will apply again next year. Elle Heiligenstein, Belleville, IL (2013)
I can't think of one thing you could do better, or any service you could add. Thank you for making my first outdoor art experience a good one! Lorraine McFarland, Rolla, MO (2013)
Apply today: http://artintheparkcolumbia.org
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