Calling all artist! Great American Brass Band Festival adds new visual component to events

By BOBBIE | November 13, 2015

 

Although the first white flakes of the winter season haven’t yet hit the ground, Great American Brass Band Festival organizers are already in a summer-frame-of-mind, preparing for June 2016’s throwdown. As the festival turns 27 next year, a new event will accompany the brass: the Great American Art Festival, what organizers are calling a high quality art show.

 

In its inaugural year, the GAAF plans to host up to 50 artists for a special two-day juried event, June 5-6. The 23,000-plus people who attend the festival are an audience of arts enthusiasts, says festival executive director Niki Kinkade, and support the addition of the visual arts festival.

 

Now, organizers are putting the ball in the artists’ hands, with a call for any interested artisans who want to exhibit and sell their wares to submit applications. The mediums to be considered for exhibit include: clay; digital art; drawing/pastel; fiber; glass; jewelry; metal; mixed media 2D; mixed media 3D; painting; photography; printmaking; sculpture; watercolor; wood; and other/new media, including media that doesn’t fit any other categories or could fit within several.

 

 

“Our goal here is simple: to market and sell quality art to art patrons and visitors to central Kentucky, and support artists by developing an art-buying and art-appreciating community,” Kinkade said. She said the festival has decided to add the visual arts component to the weekend “because our audience is interested, as is our community. We are a community of arts supporters and feel that this addition will bring buyers and art enthusiasts.”

 

Organizers of the festival have been working on the art component for two years by going to conferences, visiting other art festivals and talking with art festival organizers. Kinkade said they have compiled many working partners to help ensure the success of this new addition, including the Arts Commission of Danville/Boyle County; Boyle County Fiscal Court; Boyle County Public Library; Boyle County School District; the City of Danville; Community Arts Center; and Danville Independent School District.

 

“We just want to be sure to go about it correctly to ensure it’s success over the years to come,” Kinkade said. “We made the decision to include the art festival to broaden the weekend experience for community members and patrons. The weekend is filled with many artistic experiences and this is one more thing for people to enjoy.” She said organizers also are committed to supporting artists both musical and visual, and educating a buying and consuming audience. “We have also heard from our current audience that they support an addition like the art festival. So, overall, we feel that over the next few years we will have quite a successful art festival with many reaching benefits. “

 

The art festival is a visual arts show only, and books and music will not be considered.

A panel of at least three jurors will anonymously score submitted art to decide if it will be included in the show, planned for College Street on Centre College’s campus.

The application and jury fee is $30 per booth, and applications to be considered must be returned no later than midnight Dec. 15. Amenities will be available to artists, including affordable lodging on Centre’s campus, easy access to food vendors, complimentary snacks and water, and “assistance by an incredible volunteer staff.”