The Peoria Art Guild 59th Annual Fine Art Fair will take place as an in-person event on the Peoria riverfront on Saturday, September 25 from 10 am – 5 pm and on Sunday, September 26 from 10 am – 4 pm. One of the oldest Fine Art Fairs in the country, the Peoria Art Guild Fine Art Fair draws an anticipated attendance of 8,000 people each year and is nationally recognized. With a virtual event in 2020 due to COVID restrictions, Fair organizers are happy to be able to offer the Fine Art Fair live, in person in 2021. The Fine Art Fair is presented in collaboration with the Peoria Park District. The Fine Art Fair ranked #20 in the “Top 200 Fairs” by Sunshine Artist Magazine and has retained the “Top 200” status for ten years in a row.
The Fair will feature 130 juried fine artists from all over the country who specialize in 130 juried fine artists featuring original works of art including jewelry, painting, ceramics, photography, digital art, printmaking, mixed media, metal, glass, wood, sculpture, fiber, leather, and wearable fiber. The interactive mural will return allowing attendees to create a 10″ x 10″ piece to include in the overall mural.
The Fine Art Fair Emerging Artist for 2021 is Hattie Lee. Hattie who received her MFA at Bradley University in 2021. A native of Fowler, Kansas, she now resides and works in Peoria. As a registered member of the Cherokee Nation she is influenced by her Great Grandmother’s heritage and stories, desiring to revive and continue that legacy within her family. This year’s t-shirts, posters and community mural will be designed around her colorful artwork. Other guests artists featured at the 2021 Fine Art Fair include Orion Richey, Jeremy Berkly and Jeremie Draper.
The Kids Art Festival will also take place within the Fine Art Fair where interactive art activities for children of all ages can incorporate sculpture, collage, sand paint and clay to create art projects plus they’ll be able to contribute to a large community youth created mural. There is a $6 entry fee for the Kids Art Festival to help cover materials costs.
There will be local performers each day on the CEFCU stage including the Peoria Area Performing Arts School, the Groove Project the Bradley Jazz Ensemble, Nitsch Theatre Arts Rising Stars and Singapella groups, the Lindenhof Alphorns from The German American Society the Ishana Dance Academy and Strat & Strad on Saturday and the Peoria Ballet, James Herr, Homestyle Acoustic by Kirk Wessler from the Underground School of Sound, Amelia Ly, Audrey Karan Voss, Sumesh and Emily Antonacci from the Underground School of Sound on Sunday. Buskers will also perform throughout the Fair to entertain attendees.
And you won’t go hungry or thirsty at the Fine Art Fair. Along with beer, wine & water stations, there will be food by Mike’s Knot Just Ribs, the Station, Haddad’s, Demarchi’s Coffee, Popcorn Heaven, Cheese Nuts Pizza, El Zarape and Jane’s Sweet Addictions available for purchase.
The Peoria Art Guild’s “I Buy Art” initiative will continue with this year’s Fine Art Fair where all purchases from participating artists will include a 202, Peoria Art Guild Executive Director Shannon Cox said “We are thrilled to encourage this initiative that promotes Peoria as a community that supports its artists. This will enhance our Fine Art Fair and city as a supportive art community that welcomes our guests and artists to come back another time and explore more of what Peoria has to offer. After a hard year in 2020 we feel our community is ready to support our artists and we can’t wait to see all of you at the event.”
To encourage contactless tickets, admission is $6 for ages 13 and up if purchased in advance online HERE or $8 at the door. Admission for Peoria Art Guild members and kids 12 and under is free. For more information about the Fine Art Fair, visit https://www.peoriaartguild.org
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