FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Kelly White, Executive Director
40 North | 88 West – Champaign County Arts Council
kwhite@40north.org, 217.351.9841
2014 Boneyard Arts Festival Highlights
Boneyard Arts Festival – presented by 40 North, Champaign County Arts Council – is a four-day event showcasing the broad range of creative activity flourishing in our community. More than a traditional arts walk, the Boneyard is a unique countywide display that takes place in a wide variety of venues. This year there are 101 venues participating including traditional spaces such as galleries, studios, theaters and cafés, as well as nontraditional locations such as empty buildings, retail shops, churches and restaurants.
Here are just a few of the festival’s highlights, for a full and detailed listing, visit 40North.org.
April 10 – Campus
The Boneyard Arts Festival kicks off at Krannert Uncorked with a special performance by the Afrikania Cultural Troupe featuring Midawo Gideon Foli Alorwoyie – highly regarded as one of Ghana’s foremost virtuosos of traditional music and dance.
Sousa Archives and Center for America Music will feature Live from the Crossroads: A Snapshot of Urbana-Champaign Local Music Scene that documents the vibrant local music scene of Champaign-Urbana between 1981 and 1986 via photographs by Della Perrone.
April 11+12 – Champaign + Urbana
Two groups of artists will feature their work in the historic Illinois Central Station offices at 312 N Walnut, Champaign. The second floor galleries will feature works responding to the vacancy of the space and the history that it holds – including the 2014 Boneyard Signature piece “Reticulation” by Laura Wennstrom. The first floor will feature 2D and 3D works as well as glass blowing demos, live painting, plus video installation and a lineup of local DJs. Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 2-10pm.
Another pop-up gallery at 311 S Neil (formerly Kirby Tire) will feature visual art including sculpture, drawings, paintings, low relief sculptures, photographs and mixed media by 10 local artists, and a huge line up of musical performances on Friday 3-10pm and Saturday noon-10pm.
CUDO (Champaign-Urbana Design Organization) presents their annual abCU: Letters, Words and Wisdom typography exhibit and fundraiser at indi Go Artist Co-Op in Champaign. The show will feature letters of the alphabet, punctuation, symbols, phrases, and quotes handcrafted by local artists and designers. Opening reception Friday 6-10pm.
The Edison Middle School students in 40 North’s ArtSpeak after school program have created their own graphic identity and/or a graphic identity for a community issue of their choice and painted them on re-used skateboard decks that will be on display at [co][lab] in Urbana. The ArtSpeak program and 40 North would like the entire community to also get involved with this – blank decks can be purchased online for $15 at 40North.org/CUonBoard. Friday 5-8pm, Saturday 10am-8pm.
Moonshine Jug Studios in Urbana will feature dozens of handmade ceramic moonshine jugs and flasks, as well as a throwing and decorating demo. Saturday 10am-4pm.
H20 Salon in Urbana will feature photography and jewelry by local artists. Featuring improve troupe The Abe Froman Project on Friday at 7:30pm, and a benefit performance for the Creature Community AIDS Project with performances by local poets, playwrights, musicians, and dancers on Saturday at 7:30pm.
April 13 – Out & About
C-U Confidential and the Art Theatre Co-op present the New Art Film Festival showcasing the best creative filmmaking our community has to offer. Sunday 5pm-midnight.
Fisher Community Center will featuring paintings by Maggie Rae Kirby, caricature drawings by Dan Wild, photo booth by Laura Trovillion and Kristin Darling, jewelry demo by Penny Thompson. Also visitors will have a chance to be part of the Be Kind Illinois/Ben’s Bell Project while crafting ceramic hangings. Sunday 1-4pm.
Java Connection in Rantoul will display oil paintings, quilts and mixed media work, traditional Chinese Guzheng music, as well as sidewalk chalk art for children with Lindsey Scott. Sunday noon-4pm.
Looking for other kid friendly Boneyard venues and events? Visit Chambanamoms.com for a full family-friendly guide.
About 40 North
40 North | 88 West is committed to cultivating creativity in Champaign County. Through advocacy, information and collaboration, 40 North supports and promotes the important role that arts, culture and education hold in making the community a great place to live, work, learn and play. For more on this and other 40 North programs, visit www.40north.org
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
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