Alley Art Festival, an afternoon of local art, celebrated its 16th and final year along Water Street Mall and Downer Place on the last Saturday of August. This is the fifth and final in a series about the event that ended this year.
We had a beautiful day for the last Alley Art Festival August 29. It was mild and overcast. Artists lined Water Street Mall and Downer Place. Both areas were packed with people, and it was the perfect ending to an event that has helped to grow the local arts scene.
I, on the other hand, had a migraine, and had to go home to rest before the show started. This has been only my second debilitating migraine, and both seemed to be triggered by stress. The body has a way of talking back. I had to listen, and fortunately my capable husband along with our helpful teenage son could manage in my absence.
When I arrived back in much better condition at noon, the festival was already going strong. Volunteers were stationed at the info booth, and it was time to let the event run itself and enjoy my efforts. With my headache gone, I was able to truly smile for my Monochromatic Me photos, and when I look back on the black and white snapshots, I can remember an authentically good time.
Hosting Alley Art Festival as a grassroots event is exactly what I wanted to do for the last 16 years. As its finality makes room for something else, I still hope, and put into words in previous columns, that the city will fund the arts.
Quoting Kristina Newman-Scott, “The cities that prioritize the arts are the cities that thrive.”
Aurora does have an active and engaged arts community, and we can do better by making our arts community a priority and trusting their needs and growth strategy (i.e. Paramount Theatre).
What makes the most sense to me for an arts fair to thrive and be sustainable is to fund Aurora Public Art Commission so that they can have proper staffing as well as either run an arts festival or sponsor one.
One person shouldn’t have to take on the stress of running a large event, and if I were in the blame game, I would only look at myself, but instead I choose to look at the game of life, and what can be learned by it.
Instead of looking year-to-year, it’s time to look at the arts in Aurora and how they will not only fare but grow and support the city in 2030, 2050, and beyond.
Currently, if an annual arts event supporting local artists continues in Aurora, then it will likely be another grassroots event led by volunteers.
A few people have asked me what it would take to start another event like Alley Art Festival, which can be hard to answer with only two words: Dedication and passion.
More pragmatically, running an annual arts event takes more than six months, but can be done in about 100 to 200 hours. There’s the organization of the event which requires a website and an active presence on social media. Promotion and marketing of the event are important components. I would also recruit about 15 to 20 volunteers for the event day. My assistant for the last 16 years has been my husband, who volunteers his time to help me, and I am forever grateful.
If you’re looking to start an art event, here’s a bit of a rough monthly breakdown that includes some major checklist items. I hope it helps, and I hope that a new annual art festival can be established in the City of Lights.
January: Fill out the city’s Special Event Permit Application
February: Open applications; commission artist for annual poster
March/April: Hire musicians/entertainment
May: Close applications; schedule ads
May/June: Review applications; obtain insurance
July: Recruit volunteers; notify artists
August: Post street closure signs; prepare for event.
Add these upcoming events to your calendar:
•October 2: First Fridays, Aurora
•October 9: Second Fridays art openings at Sturdy Shelter and Water Street Studios, Batavia
•October 25: Scary Movie Night: “Carrie” at The Venue, Aurora. themusicvenue.org
Marissa Amoni has been championing local arts and culture for two decades. Follow her on Instagram @marissashinesbright. View a calendar of local art events on alleyartaurora.com/artscene.