A Cultural Event: Art on the Square

A Cultural Event: Art on the Square

One main cultural event that I have been attending every year since 2002 is Art on the Square Art on the Square is held in the down town of the city I have lived in for more then half of my life. Art on the Square has been ranked the number one fine arts show in the nation by The Art Fair Source Book of Portland, Oregon.

This event began in 2002 and has been a meteor in the vast sky of fine arts venues ever since. In 2004 Art on the Square was named the Best Small Town Art Fair in America and by 2006 it had climbed into the list of the top ten shows in America (www.artonthesquare.com). Considering the significance of this event to the small town that I was raised in, I made the decision to attend this event when it began in 2002, since then I have attended every year after. Even though the art is beautiful and breathe taking that is not all this event means to me, for me as a local resident it means something to be proud of.

When the newly annual event comes around each year close to one thousand participants submit their application to be considered to be a part of the event. Of all of the applicants 150 participants are selected by a blind jury. For the duration of the fare the judges evaluate each contestant’s submitted works and $27,000 is awarded as the winning prize. Prior to the show about $75,000 of pre-purchase art cash is available for purchase. This cash is used by individual and businesses to purchase the art at the fair. For the past several years, more than $1,000,000 of art has been purchased.

Art on the Square is intended to foster the appreciation of the visual and performing arts to a diverse public by presenting an exhibit and sale of fine art, providing educational and enjoyable workshops for children and promoting the importance of the creative process (www.artonthesquare.com). The humanities are distinguished through the expressions of the human experience through various modes. Each artist is given...