ACGT’s Art Walk is June 16
The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT)’s Art Walk continues on Thursday, June 16, 2011. Art Walk is held each summer, on the third Thursday of each month, May through September. This is the Art Walk’s fourth season.
Remaining 2011 Art Walk dates are July 21, August 18, and September 15. Hours are 6 – 9 p.m.
The program is presented as part of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo’s Live Work Create Toledo initiative, embracing economic development and revitalization through the arts. Under this umbrella, Art Walk is the sister program of Artomatic 419! and The Gallery Loop.
The Art Walk offers Toledoans an opportunity to come out and explore their Downtown, visiting great locally-owned galleries, businesses, artist studios and other venues while perusing and purchasing unique, locally-crafted one-of-a-kind art work and gifts – all while enjoying the fresh summer air and getting a little exercise, be it walking, biking, or otherwise.
This year, ACGT will continue the 2010 implementation of sponsoring local performers with “busking” (a.k.a. street performing) licenses from the City of Toledo, allowing them to perform legally on city sidewalks during the event while collecting tips.
June’s sponsored street performers will be musicians Meaghan Roberts and Lucian Townes (both solo acoustic guitar players), musician Ian Welch, performance artist Katie Komuniecki, performance artist Bianca Marcia, and experimental rock/jazz duo What’s Next.
Also up-coming this season will be the installation of nearly 20 more “Art Benches” installed in the Arts Zone/Warehouse District. Ten of these colorful benches were installed during the 2010 season to help spruce up the streets of the neighborhood and increase its identity and visibility as an arts district. The benches were painted by youth apprentices in the award-winning Young Artists at Work program, which employs diverse and at-risk teens for six weeks in the summer, exposing them to an intensive multi-media arts training and long-lasting job training skills.
Continuing this year will be the use of ACGT’s teal Live Work Create Toledo flags, which Art Walk-goers can use to identify participating venues during the event, and creative-based businesses throughout the season.
New this year is the addition of a local pedicab (bicycle taxis) service offering event goers rides from the St. Clair Village to Uptown, and vice versa.
|