FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Anna Salim, Arts Fest Director, 303-449-3774, anna@downtownboulder.org
Terri Takata- Smith, Communications Director, DBI, 303-449-3774, (303-725-1421 cell), terri@downtownboulder.org
Jane Saltzman, Executive Director, OpenArts, 303-444-1862, jane@openartsboulder.org
Downtown Boulder, Inc. and OpenArts present Open Arts Fest this weekend on the Pearl Street Mall
The new event combines the strengths of Downtown Boulder’s annual ArtFair and OpenArts Spring Art Show for a weekend celebration of visual and performing arts
Boulder, Colorado (July 11, 2011) – In its inaugural year, Open Arts Fest, presented by Downtown Boulder, Inc. and OpenArts, is a celebration of Boulder’s visual arts unlike any other. Local artists will be joined by artists from around the country providing demonstrations, workshops and showcasing their work along the historic Pearl Street Mall in the juried arts and crafts show. Clementine Studios will host an art activities area for children. There will also be live performances, a beer garden, and a silent auction. Art donated by the juried artists will be auctioned off benefiting the OpenArts art education scholarship fund and in-school education programming throughout Boulder Valley Public schools.
Over the July 16th weekend, Open Arts Fest will showcase the finest artists from Boulder and the nation, with an emphasis on fine arts and fine crafts. Hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A public preview party will take place on Thursday, July 14 from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Canyon Gallery at Boulder Public Library. The gallery show will run through the weekend. Open Arts Fest will host artist demonstrations which will take place at the Artist Demo Tent on the Boulder County Courthouse lawn as an added cultural enhancement experience.
On the Main Stage (14th Street) attendees will enjoy performances by some of Boulder’s finest performing arts organizations and musical groups including Girls on Top!, a high-energy dance band on Saturday evening. Throughout the weekend the Main Stage will feature music for children by The Que Pastas with Anya Thomson, Lois Lafond & Chico Meira, and performances from Boulder Ballet, Boulder Guitar Society, Boulder Fringe Festival and others. Beer, wine and margaritas will be available for purchase at the Open Arts Fest Beer Garden on 14th Street. All activities and performances during Open Arts Fest will be free and open to the public. More information is available at www.openartsfest.org.
“For over 30 years, ArtFair has been one of the most popular events on the mall,” said Sean Maher, executive director of Downtown Boulder. “Thanks to our partnership with OpenArts, the event has been infused with new life and energy. Longtime fans will not be disappointed and first-time visitors are sure to be impressed and inspired.”
Jane Saltzman, OpenArts Executive Director added, “Bringing our two organizations and events together has created what is sure to become an annual signature cultural experience for locals and visitors alike. Boulder is home to so many gifted visual and performing artists, and we look forward to joining with Downtown Boulder, Inc. to celebrate their talent and work.”
About Downtown Boulder Incorporated
Downtown Boulder, Incorporated (DBI) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1984, dedicated to continued preservation, promotion and enhancement of Downtown Boulder as the heart of the greater Boulder community. With a mission to maintain Downtown as the center of commerce, government, culture, and leisure, DBI’s membership supports the overall vitality of Downtown through public advocacy, political involvement, and by producing year-round community events that enhance the Boulder experience for residents and visitors. (www.boulderdowntown.com)
About OpenArts
In 1995, founder and former executive director (now retired) Gary Zeff had an idea to start a local non-profit visual arts organization that would allow the public to meet and see artists in their own studios. His passion, which remains with OpenArts today, is to educate the public about the importance of arts and arts education in our increasingly technical, impersonal world. OpenArts mission is to provide an educational opportunity for the community to gain a broader understanding and appreciation of the visual arts through the personal experience of meeting artists in their private studios and other forums. (www.openartsboulder.org)
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