Upward of 75 artists converge at MAC’s ArtFest this weekend
For some, the first day of summer is simply what the calendar says: June 20.
For others, it’s the first day it reaches a certain temperature, or the first time they can hit a local farmers market.
For others, especially in the art community, it’s only when they get to browse artist booth after artist booth at ArtFest that summer feels as if it’s really begun.
The festival celebrates 40 years with this year’s event, Friday through Sunday at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.
ArtFest organizer Amanda Souza, who also acts as the MAC’s membership, donor services and database manager, has helped with ArtFest since starting part time at the MAC in 2022, the same year the event moved back to the museum’s campus from nearby Coeur d’Alene Park.
Being back on the museum’s campus makes the event more intimate and more manageable for MAC staff to handle, Souza said. And with more than 220 applications to review, a record in, at least, Souza’s time with the festival, manageability was key.
“It was amazing, also a little heartbreaking, because there were so many artists we loved and have seen in the past that just couldn’t make it work with that many,” Souza said of the increase in applicants. “It was really competitive.”
With only 75 booth spots available, the ArtFest jury set to work narrowing the field. The group reviewed applications for each medium and looked at, among other things, their prospective booth set up. This told the jury how experienced each artist and maker was when it came to events like ArtFest, though they also didn’t count anyone out if their booth needed a little work.
“We have a lot of amazing staff members that are (experts in art) and have degrees in that, and then we also invite a few artists in the community to participate in the jury as well,” Souza said. “We get a good, broad range of people that know what they’re talking about.”
One local artist will anonymously review each booth on Friday and decide their picks for first, second and third place award winners. Those artists will have a Best in Show ribbon on display in their booth all weekend.
Souza said the painting and jewelry categories usually receive the most applicants and are therefore usually highly represented at the event. ArtFest also features ceramics, digital art, drawing, fiber, glass, leather, metalwork, mixed media, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood. A full list of participating artists can be found at artfestspokane.org.
Souza is especially excited for the mixed media artists.
“They are all in the same category, but there’s such a broad range of work within that category,” she said. “I love going and seeing them because a lot of times you may see two mixed media artists next to each other, but their work is nothing alike.”
In true festival form, it’s not just about the booths at ArtFest. Local artist Gloria Fox will guide children through art projects of their own during the Make-It-Art Kids’ Project Center. The project center will be available from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Souza especially enjoys this part of ArtFest, because after they’ve finished their masterpiece, the kids are always excited to talk about what they made.
“As the kids are walking around with their art, they’re talking to the traditional artists about what they made, and it’s a really great exchange,” she said.
There is also a variety of live music throughout the weekend. On Friday, the museum’s amphitheater will be filled with music from Based Fiasco (1:30-3 p.m.), Shawn Stratte (3-5 p.m.) and Betsy Rogue (5:30-7 p.m.).
On Saturday, Spokane Taiko (11:30 a.m.-noon), August to August (12:30-2:30 p.m.), Rosie CQ (3-5 p.m.), rosethrow (5-7 p.m.) and Milonga (7-9 p.m.) will perform, followed by Musha Marimba (11 a.m.-noon), Time Baby (12:30-2:30 p.m.) and Aspen Kye (3-5 p.m.) on Sunday.
“Our music consultants have really nailed that down with great local artists,” Souza said. “I think it’s making great use of our amphitheater here on campus. We love to do that and see people dancing in the amphitheater.”
Food trucks will be on site all weekend in the museum’s upper parking lot. The trucks are open to the public and don’t require ArtFest admission to visit.
From noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, folks can purchase food, snacks and drinks from Bibby Booth, Cathay’s Cookies, Jerusalem Middle Eastern Cuisine, MacDaddy’s Gourmet Grub, Mangia Pizza, Mary Lou’s Ice Cream, Old Fashioned Kettle Corn, Surge Coffee, Sweetlipz Desserts and Tea’s Company.
ArtFest also offers a beer garden featuring BrickWest on tap and Townshend Cellar Wines, plus bottled water, from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Since last year, ArtFest has charged a $5 admission fee or $20 for a family of four or more. This admission fee supports the 24/7 security the MAC will have watching artist booths and the increased number of musical acts.
Souza said there were a few questions about the fee last year, but overall, most understood the need to charge for admission. With admission to ArtFest, visitors can also visit the MAC and see the final weekend of the “Samurai, Sunrise, Sunset” exhibit as well as “Fire: Rebirth and Resilience,” which runs through Sept. 28, and “Melissa Lang: Keep Feeling Fascination,” which runs through June 29.
Plus, having ArtFest on the museum’s campus allows museum staff to show off every facet of the MAC.
“That’s one reason we really love having it on campus is bringing people to campus and showing them our museum and that we’re not just all about art, we’re also about the community, and how we can help out in the community and bring people here together,” Souza said.