RACINE — The Starving Artist Fair, the region’s largest juried art fair, returns to the DeKoven Center, 600 Caron Butler Drive, on Aug. 6.
The public is invited to attend the 58th annual event along the lakefront, rain or shine.
The outdoor event features the work of over 120 artists, who will display and showcase various mediums including painting, photography, ceramics, glass, mixed media, metalwork, fine jewelry making, woodworking, graphic arts, and more.
All art pieces are made within the tri-county area and available for purchase from 9 a.m. to 4. p.m. on Sunday.
In addition to being a place to shop for local art, there will be music for entertainment, a Kids Korner and an assortment of food and beverage vendors.
Starving Artist Fair gives back
The event is supported and made possible by the Racine Art Guild.
Sponsors include VisitRacine, Mount Pleasant Tourism Council, Johnson Financial, Educators Credit Union, Festival Foods, Uline, and O&H Bakery.
Proceeds from the fair contribute to the Racine Art Guild College Scholarship Fund. The organization is able to fundraise through the fees from vendor booths, silent auctions and raffles to benefit art students in the area.
Last year, Jayne Herring, coordinator of the Racine Starving Artist Fair, told Racine County Eye that the fair and board acknowledges the financial burden of beginning a career in the visual arts.
“Fine art students have a lot of different art supplies to pay for,” says Herring. “In painting, all the brushes, the paint, the canvases… We’re glad we’re able to help support.”
Raffle and Silent Auction
This year’s Raffle features Racine Art Guild Members’ best work.
The Silent Auction offers donated art by the Fair’s participating artists and also contributes significantly to the scholarship fund.
The Racine Art Guild Boutique features art for sale, made by guild members, on the day of the event as well.
Food and Beverage
There will be two food courts, one on each side of the fair.
West Food Court
- St. Mesrob Armenian Church
- Pastry4U – sweet treats
- Z’s Table
- Nutman – Packaged snacks Booth Y-35
- Dekoven Center tent – wine, beer, specialty drinks
Southeast Food Court
- Cut Stone Food – Pizza Fire Truck
- All About Tacos
- Hawgs Dogs
- DeKoven Center Tent – wine, beer
- Immoxicated non-alcoholic mixed drinks
- Dekoven Center tent-wine, beer, specialty drinks
In addition, Cowboy Kettle Corn’s booth will be located at R-5 along Wisconsin Avenue.
Music
There will be music offered on each side of the fair. The following schedule will be followed:
West side music tent
- 10:30 a.m. to noon: Prairie String Quartet
- Noon to 2. p.m.: DGSmith – Guitarist
East side music tent
- 9:15to 11 a.m.: Brandgas String Quartet
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Silver Bells Flute Choir
- 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Todd Krewall
- 1:45 to 3 p.m.:Nolan Boerner – Cello
- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Vibhaus Kendzia – Booth B-33
Kids Korner
On the west side of the fairgrounds, there will be free art activities hosted by the guild members.
Nearby, families may want to visit Bere’s Fun Face Art booth for a fancy face-painting adventure for an additional fun activity to participate in.
Parking and Shuttle information
As a popular event, it is important for those attending to know that there is plenty of parking within the surrounding neighborhoods.
Two shuttles will be running throughout the day transporting visitors to and from their parking spots.
A neighborhood shuttle will be making a loop spanning a several-block radius of DeKoven Center. People are encouraged to wave it down.
A second option is to park in the SE corner of Gateway Technical College’s lakefront lot (Pershing and 11th). This shuttle will be running every 15 minutes.
Map and Vendors
More information is available on the Racine Art Guild website and or on their event Facebook page.
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