Thursday, July 14, 2016

Artists and Vendors Wanted for Inaugural Arts Festival in Chester Aug. 27



CHESTER, Pa. — Chester residents and individuals with ties to the city through work, school or a community group are encouraged to showcase their art and/or art activity at the One Day in Chester inaugural arts festival  on Saturday, Aug. 27. Activities will take place within the 500 block of the Avenue of the States between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,

One Day in Chester was proposed by Chester Arts Alive and Nia Center Founder Delores Freeman-Clybourn to honor the richness of the arts, culture and people of Chester. The event will highlight the exciting cultural and arts activities currently taking place in the city and build excitement for using art to drive revitalization downtown.

“At this event, we will enact a vision for Chester’s future in which ‘One Day in Chester’ will be every day in Chester,” said Clybourn.

With leadership by the Nia Center, Widener University and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the One Day in Chester arts festival has begun to take shape. It will feature food, art exhibits, workshops, films, performances, live music, artist interactions, children's entertainment and crafts.

Artists and vendors with connections to the city of Chester are encouraged to participate. Complete the artist form or the vendor form on The Nia Center website at www.theniacenterofchester.org. Priority consideration will be given to individuals who complete the application by July 25.

“High participation will lead to new collaborations and new projects that will help Chester’s arts community – and ultimately Chester - thrive. This mirrors the goal of our current Boundaries and Bridges initiative,” said Widener University College of Arts and Sciences Dean Sharon Meagher.

Funded by a 2015 Catalyst Fund from the Barra Foundation, the Boundaries and Bridges initiative is led by a team of Widener University and Chester city leaders to strengthen and support arts collaboration in Chester and realize the planned Culture and Arts Corridor from Widener’s campus to Chester’s City Hall. The concept of this Culture and Arts Corridor first developed through the Chester Made initiative led by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

The One Day in Chester arts festival will celebrate these many collaborations that have put art at the center of a downtown revitalization and also provide opportunities for new individuals and groups to join this movement.

To learn more about One Day in Chester, contact Interim Nia Center Executive Director Twyla Simpkins at 610-485-2236, 610-876-2222 or director@theniacenterofchester.org.

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