In the art world, there are galleries that abound, big art fairs where celebrity artists, collectors, and curators flock, and then, on the other end of the gamut, there are smaller local fairs where community artists show local residents their work. These smaller fairs have an importance to the communities.
Art Fairs Support Communities
When you go to local art fairs, you see art in the context of the community that inspired it, and in these times when communities are consistently starting to look more and more like each other, local art can give its city a sense of identity.
University of Pennsylvania researchers demonstrated that a high concentration of the arts in a city leads to higher civic engagement, more social cohesion and lower poverty rates. A vibrant arts community ensures that young people are not left to be raised solely in a pop culture and tabloid marketplace.
By helping create a unique sense of place for a community, art shows help attract tourists and new residents to a city, and the shows give these residents the opportunity to network and socialize.
Smaller Fairs Help Local Artists
Smaller art fairs allow local artists to show and sell their work without having to travel and transport their goods. This is important, but it is even more important that local art fairs give artists an opportunity to meet each other and get to know what is going on in their local art world.
These shows also give artists an opportunity to build a market for their art, so that they can continue to support their efforts and build their talents.
Picasso said, “The purpose of art is to wash the dust of daily life off our souls.” Local artists and art fairs give their communities a daily opportunity to rediscover beauty, imagination, and deep thought.
Ottawa has a few upcoming art fairs, here is a short list:
- August 16: Art on the Grass (formerly ARTstravaganza) in the Village of Carp http://www.westcarletonartssociety.ca/art-on-the-grass.html
- August 23: Cumberland Art in the Park http://danielleswatercolours.blogspot.ca/p/cumberlands-4th-annual-art-in-park.html
- September 13 and 14: Rendez-vous des Couleurs http://www.rvcouleurs.com/
- October 3, 4 5 : Expressions of Art 2014 Fall Art Exhibition & Sale http://www.westcarletonartssociety.ca/expressions-of-art.html
I’ll be at the Cumberland event on August 23 and the Rendez-vous des couleurs in Sept. You might have noticed that I have a page attached to this blog that lists a number of local art activities and another page lists the shows where to find me. The following painting will be at these shows.
What do you think about local art fairs? Leave your comments below.
Danielle
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