On August 16-17, Lubeznik Center for the Arts will host its 43rd annual Art Fest in Michigan City. Sculptors, jewelry makers, photographers, two-dimensional fine crack artists, and even a basket weaver will be among the 80 vendor-artists at this year's Art Fest installment. While many of these artists hail from Northwest Indiana, several travel from as far as Florida and the East Coast. Art Fest also features a family activity tent, where attendees can enjoy a variety of free activities like face painting and crafts. Attendees can expect to enjoy food from the La Patrona and Frozen Delights by Cabo’s food trucks for both days of Art Fest.
Jessie Sexton, marketing manager for Lubeznik Center for the Arts, finds that Art Fest is extremely helpful in fostering connection between the community and the Lubeznik.
"Art Fest attracts a large crowd, which helps connect new people with the Lubeznik," Sexton said. “Some of the attendees have lived in the area for their entire lives and have never heard of Lubenik before, while others just came across the festival and want to check it out. Lubeznik is a really good thing for this area, and Art Fest gives the attendees a chance to learn more about the classes and free events that we offer here. It also gives them a chance to see artwork that they might not encounter elsewhere in Northwest Indiana.”
Local organizations like Paladin, the Social and Learning Institute, and the Area Artists Association will also have vendor booths at this year's Art Fest. The event will feature a community mural live painting, a new Art Fest tradition that debuted last year. In the months leading up to the event, Lubeznik puts on a contest in which young artists send in drawings that represent what community and the arts means to them. The winning piece is then turned into an eight-foot-wide mural that Art Fest attendees can help paint.
Members of Lubeznik's Teen Arts Council, an organization that lets local youth connect with the local art community and experiment with various art styles, helped sketch the mural design out on the canvas for last year’s Art Fest. During the festival, attendees will be provided with paint so they can help create a new, beautiful piece of communal art.
According to Sexton, Art Fest has played a prominent role in furthering Lubeznik's mission for decades.
“During Lubeznik's early years, Art Fest was a great way to bring people out and show them what the center had to offer,” Sexton said. “It was also a great way to build up a strong community of talented artists. About 10 years ago, Art Fest was moved from its previous location near the beach to the center’s grounds, which helped to support these two goals. Even today, we are always seeking out new ways to establish Lubeznik as a cultural hub in the Region.”
When they aren’t enjoying the other activities that will be available, Art Fest attendees can head into Lubeznik to check out this year's blockbuster art exhibition. This exhibit, entitled “Women to the Front,” features over 70 art pieces from the collection of Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell. The couple first began collecting art in the 1990s in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. They sought out works produced by women, artists of color, and queer artists. The collection includes photography, sculpture, and paintings that date as far back as the 1970s, along with featuring pieces made by prominent figures like Yoko Ono.
Although all Lubeznik guests will be able to experience “Women to the Front” through October 26, Art Fest attendees can enjoy the blockbuster exhibit and Lubeznik’s other offerings free of charge on Sunday August 17, the second day of Art Fest. This is made possible through the generous sponsorship of McDonald’s in La Porte County, a longtime supporter of Lubeznik.
“I hope everyone enjoys their Art Fest experience,” Sexton said. “Hopefully the artists are pleased and will want to come back next year. I enjoy watching how excited people get about the things they’ve bought from the vendors. It’s always great to see how much the community wants to support these artists and their work.”
You can learn more about Art Fest and Lubeznik Center for the Art’s other upcoming events by visiting lubeznikcenter.org.
