Blog

My understanding is that the promoter supplies a tent that up to five artist share and is confined to a 10x10 space. My question for anyone who has done this show, how do these shelters hold up in bad weather, especially during rain. When I asked the promoter her response was "as good as it can". Which makes me wonder. Also It dosent seem like there is any additional space (either behind the booth or on the side). Is there anyone who can give some insight on these issues?

We are so happy to announce that Connie Mettler will be speaking at ArtSmart!

“ArtSmart”, a three day Creative and Professional Development Conference for Artists, will take place at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield Missouri, March 15 – March 17.
Guest presenter Reed McMillan will open the conference with “Changes that Compel Creativity,” which will address the political, social and economic challenges artists face and how they can utilize those challenges to succeed.

Connie Mettler, founder and operator of 4 art fair oriented websites, will present sessions as well on increasing your opportunities for success as an artist.

The annual ArtSmart conference, presented by The Best of Missouri Hands, is a must to attend if you are an amateur or a professional artist who is looking to up your game and expand your potential. ArtSmart is supported by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
To learn more about ArtSmart and the Best of Missouri Hands, or to register on line for ArtSmart, visit www.bestofmissourihands.org

Email:  director@bestofmissourihands.org 
University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center - Springfield, Missouri Hotels
333 S John Q. Hammons Parkway, Springfield, Missouri 65806

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/events/artsmart-creative-and-professional-development-conference-for

August 17 & 18  
Michigan City, Indiana
32nd Annual Lubeznik Center for the Arts
Lakefront Art Festival
Washington Park
100 Artists
Deadline: Feb. 28

The Lakefront Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors from surrounding states to a festive, high-quality event held under shady trees in a grassy park on the shore of Lake Michigan.  In 2012 they had over 6000 visitors attend the festival. Because the event is sponsored by the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, it is overseen by arts professionals, committed to making every aspect of the festival a quality venue for artists and visitors.  Click here to find Michigan City.

Why this should be of interest to you:

• small town art fair in the heart of vacation country
• advertising extends to Chicago, South Bend and Fort Wayne
• a weekend get away place for Chicagoans
• $3000 in artist prized
• sponsored by an art center
• an art purchase program
• volunteers who understand artist's needs
• $175 booth fee; $30/$60 jury fee  
  
  

Artist Amenities include:

• light refreshments, coffee, and other beverages
• Row Captains on hand to assist you when you need a break
• a Sunday morning Roundtable discussion at 8:30am to solicit your evaluations festival activities with committee representatives
• $3000 in Artist Awards in 6 categories
• serious regional marketing that includes:  full-color postcards mailed to a list of over 7500; local and regional print advertising as well as outdoor, radio, television and internet; Visitors Center display; Television, radio and newspaper press coverage; PLUS an event-day newspaper insert with map and complete artist listings.

These days there is a lot of talk among artists about keeping their overhead down.  One of the best ways is to exhibit at local events and the Lakefront Art Festival is in the heart of where a lot of artists live.

For more information and applications:

 www.lubeznikcenter.org/Special_Events.com  

Becky Jascoviak, Marketing Director

Lubeznik Center for the Arts

Michigan City, Indiana 46360

(219)874-4900

bjascoviak@lubeznikcenter.org  

It brought back memories as I read Nels recent post about the "history of art fair tents." I've been doing art fairs on and off since the early '70s but I also had a long career as a filmmaker and video producer. I exhibited in the "Images" art fair in New Smyrna Beach in 1983... my first Florida art fair. The experience got me thinking about the people who choose this occupation. I noticed that there are some very fascinating characters who exhibit at art fairs. I thought it might be interesting to get to know some of these artists in a documentary. In 1984 I didn't exhibit at Images, but I brought a video production crew down from Chicago. We shot video and collected interviews all weekend and produced a 25 minute documentary called "Art Fair."

The doc aired on PBS stations in several markets around the country and even garnered an Emmy nomination in Chicago. (It didn't win. A documentary about the Chicago Yacht Club's entry in the America's Cup sailboat race won the Emmy in that category.)

Today I dug out this old video and uploaded it to UTube. I watched it again and was surprised to see that there were very few tents being used at Images in 1984. Check out the video. Its kind of fun to look back. I wonder how many of you will recognize some of the artists we interviewed. I wonder how many of them are still out there exhibiting at art fairs. The video is about 24 minutes long although the UTube entry says it is over an hour long. But, the last 36 minutes is black, so I don't recommend you watch that part. Enjoy!

Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q16q5Ju_pBk&feature=youtu.be 

May 31, June 1-2

Prairie Village, Kansas

57th year

100 Artists

Deadline: February 18

The Prairie Village Art Show is not located on a prairie but in the heart of the Kansas City metro area and surrounded by upper income demographics. Forbes magazine recently listed Mission Hills, KS, as being the 3rd most affluent city in the country and it is next to the show. The show is well attended and draws patrons from the entire metropolitan area.

This show is small with only 100 artists but they come from all parts of the country. The Art Fair Sourcebooksays that Prairie Village "Attracts an affluent and educated clientele."

What to Expect:

• 20,000 Upper Income patrons
• 24 hour security
• Electricity included with booth fee
• Friday night Wine
• Saturday night dinner delivered to booth
• Artist's lounge with restrooms, snacks and air conditioning
• Parking nearby and overnight parking allowed
• Discounted Hotel Rates
• Booth sitters

The Village in Prairie Village is one of those "lifestyle" shopping areas, intimate enough for ease of shopping yet anchored by well-known names such as Macy's and Starbucks with lots of restaurants. Does it sound as though your clientele will be showing up here? Then you know what to do! Apply today.

Application on line at:www.zapplication.org

For more info visit

www.prairievillageshops.com

or contact Donna Potts at: 913-362-9668

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find more shows looking for you at callsforartists.com

Im thinking of selling at the  Fine Furnishing show in Baltimore. They also have shows in Providence RI and Milwaukee. Most of the items are wood related but they do have crafters and artist as well. I sell digital art work

This is copied from my blog

You’ve applied to hundreds of shows over the years. You know what to do and not do with your images. ZAPP and JAS have made it really easy to quickly apply and not really think about it. BUT, when was the last time you went into ZAPP and checked your profile? Checked that all your information is correct? Checked your capitalization, spelling and punctuation? Have you checked your artist statement to make sure it’s current?

 The same things are important on JAS but on there your artist statement is even more important. When you’re being juried on JAS, your artist statement is right in the center of the page, easy for the juror to read. And you wouldn’t believe how many people make mistakes in there. The wrong words, extra punctuation, missing letters and the big one is your name! Sometimes just the first name, sometimes the full name, “James does this”, “Mary Smith likes that”. I was shocked during my latest jurying how many statements had names. Have you checked yours lately?

 Your artist statement should be current and if you want a juror to read it, it should be short. I don’t need to know where you went to school, what your life’s path has been or how many years you’ve been doing this. I need to know anything critical to what you’re showing me in your images. This is not your resume, please don’t list all the shows you’ve done. Short, readable and to the point.

 And then there’s the old issue of a name in the booth image. There are still many, many booth shots that have either the artists name showing or the business name. Please, please remove it. It will not help you and it may hurt you. Take down the booth signs that the show gives you even if you can’t read your own name on it. Anything that distracts from what you want the juror to be looking at which is your booth and the work in it. Leave the chair, that doesn’t bother me at all but get out all the signs.

 And I’ve learned a couple of new things in this last round of jurying that I’ve done. Photographers as a group have the most odd looking booth images of anyone. Many of them look like they’re 20’ x 20’ booths and amazingly they show under 10 pieces with no flip bins! Wow! Please don’t take offense if you’re a photographer because it’s probably not you I’m talking about but you probably know someone who fits this. Just something to think about.

 The other thing I’ve learned is that sterling silver must no longer be a precious metal. No one told me! Jewelers - if there are two categories, precious and non-precious and you work in sterling silver, fine silver pmc or gold, you belong in the precious category. And trust me, you don’t want to be in the non-precious category if you don’t belong there. There is some absolutely wonderful jewelry being made these days without the use of precious metals and you don’t want to be competing with them if you don’t have to. Of course if you’re applying in the non-precious category then I’m not competing with you for a space so maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this…

Hi, Yesterday I was redoing my schedule and fixing little stuff in my website. Some how I delete the entire site. I manage to rebuild last night . Please can you tell me if find something wrong.

www.lpstudios.net

Thanks

March 21-24
New York City

Now Accepting Applications for Artexpo New York 2013

Location, Location, Location

Artexpo New York 2013 will take place at Pier 92, NYC’s celebrated “Art & Design Pier.” NYC is home to more artists, galleries, art lovers, collectors and industry professionals than any other city in the world. With 18.8 million residents, it’s the most populous metro area in the US, a popular destination for travelers, and the #1 city in the country for art sales.

After being diagnosed with lupus several years ago, Sarah Ali received some life-changing advice from her uncle, JAMALI--one of the most respected contemporary artists in the world. "He encouraged me to start painting," said Sarah. "My uncle taught me that painting is an act of meditation, which can bring about feelings of euphoria like no other." She picked up a paintbrush and hasn't put it down since. In Sarah's  unconventional Fresco Tempera paintings, we can see her inner experience-severe pain during a flare-up, as well as bright, euphoric colors on "good" days. And this past year, we had the great honor of hosting Sarah at Artexpo New York 2012. "I was very pleased to be a part of Artexpo New York this year," she said. "I was humbled by the overwhelming appreciation of my art. It was especially nice to meet other artists and interact with them. I feel like Artexpo has brought about a positive change for me and my business; I am in serious discussions with various galleries and continue to see positive results from the show. I strongly recommend Artexpo to other artists looking to expand their market base, increase sales and meet wonderful people." Read more about Sarah Ali. At Artexpo, we're pleased to play a part in launching-or expanding-the careers of both established and emerging artists, gallery owners and publishers from across the US and around the world. Our juried art show offers elegant, gallery-style exhibition space right next to The Architectural Digest Home Design Show, ensuring top exposure for your work. If you'd like to exhibit your work to thousands of qualified, international buyers in NYC this coming March, we invite you to submit your work for consideration. CONTACT US: sales@artexponewyork.com

cjmet

June 1 & 2    
Racine, Wisconsin
Downtown Racine
Sat. 10am-5pm
Sun. 10am-4pm
In collaboration with the Racine Arts Council
80 Artists
Deadline March 1

Returning to its original home on Monument Square, one of Wisconsin's oldest and most respected juried fine art fairs presents 80 artists from around the country exhibiting works in a variety of media.  Live entertainment, a silent auction and children's activities make this a must-see event.  The Festival is expected to attract in excess of 3,500 attendees.

The new Monument Square Art Festival is a combined effort of several Racine artists and the Racine Arts  Council whose mission is to encourage, support and advocate on behalf of emerging and established artists, artistic groups in our community and young people interested in the arts.

Conveniently located between Chicago and Milwaukee, Monument Square is located in the heart of beautiful historic Downtown Racine.  It is adjacent to shops, condominiums, a marina, restaurants, historic home districts, a superb harbor and is just minutes away from breathtaking examples of the work of master architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Advertising is placed throughout southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois with support from the Real Racine Tourism Grant and the Racine Arts council.

Application fee: $20 - Booth fee: $150

Applications, details and contact information are all available  at: www.monumentsquareartfest.com

Find more art fairs looking for artists: www.CallsforArtists.com

I need your opinion. I am using museum glass Not to much about the glare since this is anti reflecting glass. Also I wont take it out because of the cost.

Recently, I did Cape Coral down on the west coast of Florida.

At the show's end this young guy, who looked vaguely familiar, stopped at my booth.  He looked at it real carefully.  Eye-balled my 10-foot wide aluminum trusses.  

He smiled.  He said, "Wow!  An original Newton's Port-o-Booth."

His father was Jim Newton who made these revolutionary canopies way back in 1985.  This was in Ft. Myers.

Clyde Butcher, long off the circuit and well-known as the "Ansel Adams" of swamp photography in Florida, had first commissioned Jim to make him a custom canopy.

It was a free-standing unit.  Eight metal panels linked together (mesh with white covers over them) all held together with four trusses that fit on top of the panels.  Good zippered sides.  A zipper on front and rear for additional canopy cover.  Sturdy, able to withstand winds up to 40 mph.

I bought the third one in 1986.  Best investment in art I ever made.  Still got it.

Here is the story of how I came to get it.

It involves old KD canopies, a wee little woman and a vicious wind storm at an art show in Miami Beach.

Read on.  It is a funny story.

EARLY CANOPIES

In the good old days (like the 1970's) everybody had their own homemade canopies.  There were no commercial versions yet.

I came back, fresh from Hawaii in 1979, and started doing outdoor shows.

I had pegboard panels nailed together with 1x3s.  Even had an orange tarp for the roof.  Gave all my photos that sepia-toned look.  Even the color ones.

I remember coming back from the Gainesville show in the spring of 1985.  I was cruising home in my Datsun station wagon.  My racks were fastened on my roof.  Or so I thought.

I happened to look in my rear view mirror and noticed cars behind me were juking all over the interstate--trying to avoid my panels that had flown off the roof.

Naturally, they were smashed to smithereens.  The panels, thank God! not the cars.

Well, being a smart guy I built some more of them--even used 1x4s this time--and stronger bungee cords.

This was the time of the KD canopy.

They were revolutionary for us.  Instant shelters.  Went up in a minute.  Didn't cost a lot

and we looked like professionals.

Off course there was a major down side to them as we all quickly found out.

They did not fare well in high winds.  Usually crunched up easily like a bunch of aluminum cockroaches.

Also, in heavy rains, they tended to collect tons of water.  Bent the hell out of the canopy.  But hey, you had plenty of fresh water for coffee.

Well, I bought one.

OK. OK.  By now you are saying, "What the hell happened to the little old lady?"

Well.  Now I will tell you.

Many, many moons ago, in the good old days, there used to be an art show held out on Miami Beach in early December.  Right on the Intercoastal.  Beautiful site.  Small show.

People actually used to make money at it.

I know, that is a concept that will never catch on.  But we liked it while we could.

So, this one weekend there, I am setup by this wee little lady who happened to be a sculptor.  She also had a KD just like me.  We were two peas in the pod.

Well, there was bad weather forecast for the show.  Being dumb and optimistic, we figured,"Yeah, it will hit somewhere else rather than our show."

Well, it hit us big time, early Sunday morning.

Big rolling grey clouds.  Buckets of rain.  and winds that strained our KDs.

I was buckled down best I could.  Like everybody else there, I was holding onto to my buckling walls with each wind- burst. 

Faintly, I could hear a little voice crying out in the wind.

"Help me!  Somebody help me!"  It was my wee little neighbor.  

All 95 pounds of her wee five-foot-three self were being lifted off the ground with each wind burst.

She was holding onto the cross bars for dear life.  She was sometimes three-feet off the ground.

I had heard of the" Flying Nun", but never seen the "Flying Sculptor" until now.

I quickly got five of my cohorts to grab hold of each leg of her KD.  We got her unclamped, pink in the lips, and shivering like a rabid Pomeranian.  It wasn't pretty.  

We peeled the roof off to reduce the lift.  By then her canopy was trash.  And mine was going next.

We all survived.  Even made a paycheck.

The next week, I trekked down to Ft. Myers and bought my Newton.

When I first showed up at the Flint Art Fair, everybody said, "Cool, Nels.  Where did you get that canopy?"

Next year there were 20 people with a Newton.

Well.  That's my story and I am sticking to it.

BTW.  My first art show, which was in Hawaii at Waimea Falls Park in 1975, I showed up and the guy said,"Here's your spot, put your booth here.":

"Booth."

I did  not know you needed one.

Naturally, being Mothers of Invention, my surfer and Army buddies dragged a picnic table into the spot.

I got rocks from the stream.  I set my matted and framed images on them.

We all set around the table and on the big Igloo.  We drank Olys and Greenies, and smoked big hooters.

I met two beautiful women that day, and made $15 in sales.

I was juiced.

I said,"This is what I am going to do the rest of my life."

Nowadays, I don't do art shows by waterfalls in Hawaii.  But I do make a living.

I miss those hooters and the Greenies.  Those were the days.

Hope you enjoyed my tale.  Nels Johnson.

All right, here is a follow-up to the St. Louis open jury workshop held Saturday...
...just as the Raven kicker's toe was about to touch the ball to begin the Superbowl. The phone rang. It was Larry Berman. We spent the next half hour discussing the ins and outs of Zapp and the previously mentioned workshop of which he was one of the mock jurors.

There are several things that I wanted to share with you. Approximately 100-125 people showed up for the event, according to the moderator, about 55 were on line. Now the online experience was lacking, the images weren't great, talk about a blind jury...however, the audio content was very rich.

I don't know about you but if I cared to look I would probably find that I spend upwards of $1K applying to shows (half of my annual income). Since Zapp arguably one of the most important games in town I am hoping that all serious art fair artists consider giving up a day to such an endeavor.

Kudos to Cindy at St. Louis, and to the underpaid participants like Larry who conducted the session.

My conversation w/Larry was very productive. There are so many nuances to going from C+ to a B to an A for professionals relying on Zapp, that I recommend trying a professional to help you remain competitive. Secondly, his passion for working in this arena is unmatched. There are many flaws to the system most of which will never be fixed, so it becomes essential for artists to recognize and appreciate exactly what they are dealing with.

As artists, this group is dedicated to sharing what we know. That sharing is a higher calling. Some of us are good at certain aspects of what we do, their experience and knowledge is particularly important. Thanks to everyone in this group, thanks to show directors who make these sessions possible and thanks to the individuals who take this shit seriously.

Oh, and as festival artists, we play the Superbowl every weekend so missing the big show paled in comparison with my conversation w/Larry!

Why I get so insulted when people call me LAZY.

Really I have a regular job and I do about 15 to 20 art fairs year. Do you have any idea why you call me LAZY. I do not mind putting overtime at work. When is time go, I go. I do good sales for my work. My commissions speak about that. I am not behind in work load. I complain about the lack of work. You still call me lazy.

I can go five months with only 5 days off between the art fairs and work and do not complain about it. I do not complain that I have not have increase in paid while you did. You still call me lazy. My work load is bigger that yours and exceptions are higher. You still call me lazy.

I do not know but there a bad joke between Hispanic and blacks. There are comments about our President.

So I can see why you call me LAZY. I know: your lack of education, ignorance, your stupidity, that what make you feel better and more reasons that are not worth my time explaining to you.

Yes, I do not make a lot of money, yes do not have to much to show for it. I can tell you everything that I have I earn. Nobody gave anything to me. I work for it and I am proud of it. As well when sit in a corner asking myself what else I can do to improve my life. GOD, please help to earn a honest meal.

But still you call me lazy.

March 2 & 3  
Sarasota, Florida
Ken Thompson Park, City Island
10am-5pm
125 Exhibitors
APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR JURY: February 15. (You must apply before February 15 to qualify for awards.)

Artist Booth Fee $175, Application Fee $35

When & Where...
The event runs on Saturday and Sunday, March 2 & 3, from 10am-5pm. There is a $5 admission fee for adults and children, 12 and under, are free. This entrance fee allows festival guests free admission to the Save Our Seabirds Center and a $5 discount on admission to Mote Marine Aquarium on the days of the show.

Prizes & Awards...

Lauren Ireland, Ringling College of Art & Design 2002

Although wildlife art will be given precedence, other art will be considered for inclusion in the show and for awards.  Volunteers from Sarasota's Ringling College of Art + Design will jury and judge the show. There will be $3,000 in prizes awarded.

About The Festival
This unique double event is scheduled for the first weekend in March, 2013. Focusing on artistry and community enrichment, the event is a juried fine art exhibition showcasing wildlife artists, painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers and fine craftsmen; paired with a wildlife and environ-mental educational symposium. There will be on site food available and free tours of Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Center throughout the two days.

The festival will be marketed through print media and other promotional activities to the Sarasota, Lido Key and Longboat Key area which is one of the most affluent markets in Southwest Florida. Artist will have easy loading access with parking nearby.  
Several non-profit organizations are presenting the event including The Rotary Club of Sarasota and Save Our Seabirds. Proceeds from the show will benefit the Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation, providing service projects and grants to local charities, and Save Our Seabirds, Inc.

Wildlife Symposium
Throughout the two-day event there will be a series of speakers discussing various topics from wildlife photography to environmental conditions in South West Florida.

Application Information
Visit www.sarasotawildlifefest.com  for application information. Apply online or download application.

Contact: rgaglio11@gmail.com or call 941-840-1193

Sponsors

Has anyone here ever done the Ghoultide Gathering held in Chelsea Fairgrounds Michigan last year and previously in Northville Mi?  I've been attending for three years as a patron and the list of artists is growing.  When they held it in Northville it was in a little park filled with historical Victorian buildings where the artists were divided up and housed in different buildings all of which were decorated for Halloween. One house actually had a coffin with a covered manikin in the parlor for an old fashioned wake.  It was wonderfully charming and atmospheric.  But with the inclusion of new artists they needed a larger venue and moved to Chelsea and into a large building which was nicely decorated last year.  All the artwork is Halloween related and the priced were on the higher side with many of the smaller ornaments averaging $50 - $100 and so on.  All high quality work. Very unusual and extremely unique.  You can see many of the artists on EHAG Emporium

http://ehagemporium.blogspot.com/

I've asked Ghoultide for information about applying for this September's show and I'm thinking of applying to EHAG as well. So I was just curious if anyone else here has done the show or seen the show and what your thoughts were.

April 12-14  
Novi, Michigan

200 Artists

Suburban Collection Showplace

200 Artists

Deadline: February 10

Show: Fri. 1:00pm-8:00pm; Sat. 10:00am-6:00pm; Sun. 11:00am-5:00pm 
Artist Reception: Saturday, April 13th at 6:00pm

The Great Lakes Art Fair invites you to join a unique indoor marketplace with fusion of lush landscapes and tempting food. This Art Fair offers fine artists in the region a reliable, regularly scheduled, weather-free venue to showcase their freshest and most beautiful work, and word is spreading rapidly that this is a destination event for artists and patrons alike.

Consistently lauded as one of the most artist-friendly Art Fairs, accepted artists are given postcards and free tickets for their customers, free electricity, a roving snack cart with complimentary snacks and drinks during the show, complimentary morning coffee, muffins and artists can drive right up to their booths for unloading and loading, plus more! 

What to expect:

• Elegant Grand Gallery entrance showcasing your art
• Delectable cuisine and relaxing entertainment
• Community partnerships and other fresh components, to create a regional marketplace for artists and their patrons.  

Lined up to enter the Great Lakes Art Fair

Effective promotion is as crucial to overall success as the selection of artists.  Our mission is to deliver a high quality experience for patrons and artists that will assure qualified buyers, return visits and exponential event growth.  Participating Artists will also benefit from a multi-level marketing and publicity campaign to promote the event throughout the region, including media partnerships in print, radio, television, direct mail and building awareness of this new regional event.

Participating artists are provided with custom Great Lakes Art Fair discount coupons, e-mail blast content and other collateral materials to distribute to their patrons.  An artist reception will take place Saturday, April 13th at 6:00 pm to thank all the artists for their participation and to award the winners of the show!      

For more info:  www.GreatLakesArtFair.com

Apply: http://greatlakesartfair.com/artistapply.html

More questions:

Andrea Picklo, andreap@suburbanshowplace.com, (248) 348-5600 ext.208

Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi, MI 48374

anyone heard back on the jury selections?  The response was due today 1/31?

Four Rivers Craft Show: June 7-9

Fine Art Show: June 8 & 9
Salina, Kansas
Deadline: February 15

Celebrating Artists, Celebrating Excellence!

• Over half-a-million dollars in visual arts sales annually!
• Ranked in the top 100 art fairs in the country and at the top of those in the central Midwest. Kansas' finest!
• 90 exhibitors in the Fine Art Show
• 50 exhibitors in the Four Rivers Craft Show
• over $11,000 cash Merit &Purchase Awards
• Reasonable booth fees and jury fee
• Booth sitters, water/tea/coffee brought to booth, assistance with unload and loading, Artists' Reception & Breakfast, free reserved parking within the event
• Presented by the nationally acclaimed Salina Arts & Humanities

 A Festival Like None Other

The Smoky Hill River Festival presents a sophisticated palette of events: exceptional fine art and contemporary craft, art installations, superb entertainment, and interactive arts experiences for all ages.  Salina is widely acknowledged as an Outstanding Arts community where art and culture are a $23 million industry annually.  A model in its rich cultural landscape, Salina is a vibrant example of a community that grows, thrives and reaches for the future, through the arts.

• 2000 volunteers assures community involvement
• 75,000 attendees, drawing patrons from the region and across the country 
• $130,000+ thriving Art Patron Program

The artists speak:

Smoky Hill River Festival-All around quality show-first class from patrons to art to staff-outstanding! Michael Stephens-Edinburg, PA

I traveled far, but gained a lot! Ana Petercic-Lincolnwood, IL

Very well run, all-out effort. Duke Klassen &LaDes Glanzer-Minneapolis, MN

A top-notch show in the middle of Kansas-what a treat-great volunteers, easy set-up, oh yea and great sales! Julie Jerman-Melka-Fort Collins, CO

Smoky Hill River Festival is put on and run by geniuses! Ashley Robertson-Woodbridge, VA

This is the most unique show I have ever done in 20 years.  There is so much going on and the community is really into it! Layl McDill-Minneapolis, MN

This show has it all.  Great volunteers, organization, quality and crowds! Carole Osburn-Des Moines, IA

We as artists have the privilege of having an individual voice.  What we ask and hope for is a venue that allows the voice of our art to be heard in its most beautiful form.  This show is a stage unto its own. Here your voice is heard, seen, and felt. Denise Robertson-Columbus, NM

We welcome your application. Available online at zapplication.com or may be downloaded and printed from the Festival website riverfestival.com for submitting by mail.

For more information:

www.riverfestival.com and www.zapplication.org

Karla Prickett, Visual Arts Director

Salina Arts & Humanities

karla.prickett@salina.org

(735)309-5770, ext. 2306

 ~~~~~~~~~~

Below: "Oakdale/Carver Pool" by Molly Dilworth, Brooklyn, NY

Salina Art Center, Artist-in-residence

Integrating the histories of Salina's summer  pastime activity, swimming, the large 1920s municipal pool is painted with two patterns that represent the whites only pool and the inset representing the blacks-only pool. This work is  visible through virtual maps such as Google Earth, marking a visual  history of Salina from an aerial perspective.