Old Town Art Fair

Old Town Art Fair

The Old Town Art Fair, one of the nation's highest ranked fine arts fair, is held annually on the second full weekend in June in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.

The 59th Old Town Art Fair will be held on June 14th - 15th, 2008, 10am-6pm, rain or shine.

In addition to 260 nationally acclaimed artists chosen by an independent jury of professional artists, gallery owners and museum curators, the Old Town Art Far has a variety of entertainment, including live music, a garden walk, a children's activity area, a food court, and a self-guided historic tour of the historic district of Old Town.

The main gate is located at Wisconsin Street and Lincoln Avenue. A $7 donation is requested at the entrance gate. Proceeds from the Old Town Art Fair benefit a host of local schools, youth groups and neighborhood preservation projects.

Artists who wish to apply to the Old Town Art Fair should visit www.oldtownartfair.org for application details.

Little known facts about the Old Town Art Fair include:

* The Old Town Art Fair is produced by the Old Town Triangle Association (OTTA), a community-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents who live in Chicago's historic Old Town neighborhood. Goals of the OTTA include preserving the architectural and historical integrity of buildings in the Triangle and improving educational opportunities for the children of the Triangle and surrounding neighborhoods. Learn more about the OTTA by visiting www.oldtowntriangle.com.

* The first Old Town Art Fair, then called the "Old Town Holiday," was held in 1950. In the beginning, a number of fair exhibitors, who were usually Old Town residents, did double duty as fair volunteers. The fair was held on one street (Lincoln Park West) and art was hung on fences and on the exterior of houses.

* In the early 1950s, to improve art quality, a jury of professional artists was selected to review submissions and select exhibitors.

* Politics and politicians have occasionally played a role in the Old Town Art Fair. Mayor Richard J. Daley was Honorary Chairman of the twentieth art fair in 1969. Mayor Jane Byrne served as auctioneer in 1982, and Mayor Harold Washington opened the Saturday auction in 1986.

* The Old Town Art Fair is one of the few Chicago street fairs completely planned and staffed by volunteers. It takes over 750 volunteers to execute this annual fundraiser.

References:

www.oldtownartfair.org, Old Town Art Fair's website

Old Town Triangle Association, Old Town Art Fair: 50 Years and Counting

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