CHELSEA – If you haven’t yet seen this year’s Sculptures, you are going to be astounded! Chelsea Area Festivals & Events (CAFE) proudly brings you SculptureWalk 2021. Sixteen original sculptures grace the courtyards and streets of Chelsea. The majority of the Artists hail from Michigan, seven of the Artists are returning from the previous year, plus nine artists new to SculptureWalk. The diversity and quality of this contemporary exhibit created by regional Artists enhance Chelsea’s cultural community.
CAFE received a minigrant from Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, administered by Creative Washtenaw, to help with the expanded program. The rotating exhibition provides access to art and is free and accessible to everyone. This new exhibition of sculptures is the largest show in the 12-year history of SculptureWalk Chelsea.
“Good art causes us to reflect and to engage in a dialogue about how it makes us feel, shared Crystal Scott, Visual Arts Coordinator.
“SculptureWalk Chelsea aims to inspire, delight, and encourage viewers to generously look, wonder, and contemplate,” said Craig Common, CAFE board president. “We are also fortunate to have the support of generous sponsors and the City of Chelsea to create outdoor art of ambitious scale.”
2021 SculptureWalk Sponsors are – Secret Crisis Comics, Surelutions, Edward Jones – Michael O’Quinn and Diane Kieliszewski, Chelsea State Bank, Jeff Klink, and Associates Reinhart Realtors, Chelsea District Library, Ugly Dog Distillery, Silver Maples of Chelsea, D&B Strategic Marketing, Stieper and Brust Orthodontics, Susan Jacobs, CPA, Rick Eder Agency Farm Bureau Insurance, The Common Grill, Hardwood Solutions, and The Grateful Crow.
This year’s exhibit features an exciting variety of mediums used in innovative ways. The exhibition introduces several new processes like woodworking, local fabrication, blacksmithing, functional art, and light production. All of the sculptures are available for purchase; please contact Crystal Scott at visualarts@chelseafestivals.com.
Gary Munce, CAFE Board member, and musician shared, “We wanted a show that is vibrant, interactive and easily accessible. We have an exciting exhibition to kick off summer with Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights.”
A display of incredible art that will ignite the imagination! SculptureWalk is a welcoming space for families and friends to enjoy art together. Additional Information about the artists and their sculptures can be found at the SculptureWalk website.
Chelsea Area Festivals & Events is a not-for-profit organization that enriches Chelsea, and the surrounding communities, by promoting the presentation of and participation in quality performing and visual arts throughout the year. CAFE hosts Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights, the Sounds & Sights Summer Festival, and SculptureWalk Chelsea. The festivals are funded through sponsorships and donations. Events draw thousands of visitors each year and would not be possible without the support of local businesses, non-profits, and many, many volunteers in the community. chelseafestivals.com
The mini-grant applications are reviewed by a panel of artists, residents, and organizational leaders from the region using criteria set by the MCACA. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences. The Arts & Cultural Projects minigrants provide support for the production, presentation, and creation of excellent arts and culture programs that promote public engagement, diversity, lifelong learning, and help to enhance the livability of communities. creativewashtenaw.org
