ANN ARBOR – Ann Arbor is getting ready to welcome the nearly half a million visitors anticipated to converge in its downtown for the Ann Arbor Art Fair, the largest and one of the top-ranking juried art fairs in the country. A Midwest tradition, the Ann Arbor Art Fair returns Thursday, July 20 through Saturday, July 22, to celebrate art and the artist community that make the fair so special and integral to the city’s proud recognition as a beacon for the visual and performing arts.
The Ann Arbor Art Fair, comprised of three independently juried nonprofit art fairs that run consecutively – The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original; the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair; and the Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair – will span 30 blocks and will consist of nearly 1,000 individual artists of different mediums from across the country.
Additionally, the fair will feature three stages with live music, international exhibits, art demonstrations and interactive art activities to include everyone in the fun. As always, the Ann Arbor community will hold an important role in the fair, with the downtown’s small businesses offering sidewalk sales and local restaurants extending patio service into the streets.
The Ann Arbor Art Fair is excited to announce a new shuttle partner this year. National Trails will pick up fairgoers at both Briarwood Mall and Huron High School for round trip shuttles to the fair for $8 per person. Once onsite, May Mobility’s autonomous vehicles will be joined this year by BMW vehicles to shuttle fairgoers around the perimeter of the fair as co-presenters of the Art-Go-Round.
“Art is a wonderful part of the human experience,” said Karen Delhey, director of the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair. “And it’s with great love for the artists and the Ann Arbor community that we host the Ann Arbor Art Fair each year. Although it’s a lot of hard work bringing everything together, it is so rewarding to see artists and art lovers alike fill the streets of Ann Arbor each July.”
At a kick-off event presented by the event hosts Venue by 4M, the executive directors of the Ann Arbor Art Fair, together with members of the community, unveiled the individual fairs’ one-of-a-kind commemorative posters, each created by the following featured artists and chosen by each fair’s team to capture the overall energy of the fair and the Ann Arbor community as a whole:
Featured Artist – Katie Musolff – Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original
Musolff’s commemorative poster features a Peregrine Falcon in honor of the falcon family that resides in University of Michigan’s historic Burton Tower. As a long-standing exhibitor at Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, Musolff had the opportunity to observe the falcon family and paint a falcon from life. This poster was created in tribute to the magnificent artistry and natural splendor of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Musolff’s current body of work consists of meticulous watercolor and gouache paintings that concentrate on the beauty she finds along the backwaters of her Wisconsin home along the Mississippi River. A graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art Design, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting, Musolff’s work has been showcased across the U.S. and she has received numerous accolades in her field.
Featured Artist – Chris Charles – Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair
Charles’ commemorative poster features a brightly colored robin in front of a stark green circle. Her work currently focuses on fine art linocut and letterpress prints, which often feature bold colors and a healthy sense of humor. In addition to selling her work in person through art festivals and gallery shows around the country, Charles is the proud owner of Moon Rabbit Press located in her hometown of Rochester, New York and teaches printmaking at the Flower City Arts Center.
Featured Artist – Espacia Fotiu – Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair
Fotiu’s commemorative poster is an abstract depiction of the beauty of Ann Arbor’s nature.
The Michigan-based Fotiu is a self-taught creative inspired by nature, philosophy and the human condition. She self-published an interactive children’s book that has been sold in gift shops across the state, including the Cranbrook Art Museum. Fotiu has had her paintings in many gallery exhibitions over the years and renovated a van to travel to art shows around the country.
The 2023 Ann Arbor Art Fair runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 20 and Friday, July 21; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat., July 22.
SPONSORS
The Ann Arbor Art Fair’s Premier Event Sponsors include Eli Lilly, Destination Ann Arbor, The City of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor DDA. The Stage on Main is presented by DTE. The Art-Go-Round is co-presented by May Mobility and BMW. The Free Wheelchair Rental Program is presented by Trinity Health. The “Official Gathering Place” of the 2023 Ann Arbor Art Fair is the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Other Committed Sponsors include the Michigan Lottery, LaCroix, Leaf Filter, Renewal, SkyMint, Mr. Roof, All American Gutter Protection, Uber Eats, Lake Michigan Credit Union, University of Michigan Credit Union, Bank of Ann Arbor and Coming Home Suites.
Community Sponsors include Catalyst Media Factory, Main Street Area Association, National Trails and The University of Michigan. Binson’s is sponsoring the Wheelchair Supply and Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA) is the Health & Safety Sponsor.
Supporting Sponsors include Venue by 4M (Presenting Sponsor of Poster Unveiling + Media Brunch), City of Ann Arbor Fire Department, City of Ann Arbor Information Services, City of Ann Arbor Police Department, CultureVerse, Dollar Bill Printing, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, Underground Printing, Elmo’s T-Shirts, National Endowment for the Arts, The Ark and Wallace Detroit Guitars.
Sponsorship opportunities for the 2023 Ann Arbor Art Fair are still available. More information is available by contacting allison@theguild.org. Those interested in playing a part in the art fair as a volunteer or temporary staff are encouraged to visit TheAnnArborArtFair.com.
The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a Midwest tradition that draws close to half a million attendees over three days annually in July. The largest juried art fair in the nation, the Ann Arbor Art Fair features nearly 1,000 artists and a footprint spanning 30 city blocks in downtown Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is comprised of three independently juried, nonprofit art fairs that run consecutively: the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair. For more information about the Ann Arbor Art Fair, visit theannarborartfair.com.
