November in Seward means it’s art crawl time, and this year’s festival promises some new additions to the rich tapestry of neighborhood artists and venues, according to Seward resident and potter Erik Riese, who organized the festival for Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG).
The ninth annual festival — which runs Friday, Nov. 7–Sunday, Nov. 9 — features more than 100 artists, writers, and performers in 30 locations across the neighborhood. In addition to open studios, where visitors can view and buy local artworks, a host of events take place Saturday and Sunday, starting with the Friday night precrawl. Riese said that 60–70 percent of the artists’ studios will be open that evening.
The next day, the festival kicks off officially at 11:30 a.m. with an art car parade at CaptionMax, at South 25th Street & 27th Avenue South. Music, demonstrations, tastings, readings and more continue through late-night Sunday, when Cadillac Kolstad and DJ Spin close down the Minneapolis Eagles Club and Pi Bar, respectively.
One new venue this year is Bottle Rocket Studios, 3530 S. 28th St., featuring studio artists and the North Star Roller Girls doing roller derby practice and training.
For a slightly less contact-based sport, Riese said “poetry attacks” will take place throughout the whole weekend — spontaneous encounters in which poets will present prepared or freestyle poems “out loud, to at least one other person,” as Riese put it.
The artist lineup includes a show by photographer Wing Young Huie, who celebrates 30 years of work this year at his studio, 2525 E. Franklin Ave. The exhibition will include work spanning his career, from early, never-exhibited work, to his current University Avenue Project. In addition, Huie has made 30 images from the 30 years available for purchase.
Riese said this year’s event is bigger than ever before, despite a late start in organizing. Riese credited strong support from businesses and other sponsors — whether through participation, donations or both —for the growth.
“There’s so much interest in the business community,” said Riese, who was originally contracted by SNG to see if there was enough funding interest to support the fair. “I had $2,000 in the matter of the first six businesses I talked to,” he said.
For full information about the festival, visit www.sewardarts.org, see the insert included with this issue of The Bridge (in some areas), or pick up a map and program at the Birchwood Café, Coastal Seafoods, Seward Co-op, Pizza Lucé, Zipps, Skol Liquors, Pi Bar, Tracy’s Saloon, ArtiCulture, Crown Video & Tanning, Hoffman Guitar, and artists’ studios during the event.
Comment