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Celebrate and Educate – FHCA’s Door County Festival of the Arts Moves to Sister Bay

While it is no surprise that the visual and performing arts are important and integral to life in Door County, it may come as a surprise to some that there are very few events on our peninsula that celebrate this very facet of Door County culture. This is one reason why the Francis Hardy Center for the Arts (FHCA) annual Door County Festival of the Arts really is a cause for celebration.

The inaugural Door County Festival of the Arts took place over Fyr Bal weekend in 2001 In Ephraim. Back then, it was called “Artists on the Green” and was located on the green space next to the Hardy Gallery in Ephraim. The premise of the festival is simple, but effective. Door County potters, Door County painters, Door County jewelers, Door County photographers, Door County sculptors, Door County weavers, and other Door County artists rent tent spaces at the event. They sell their art, demonstrate their crafts with morning and afternoon demonstration sessions, and educate the public about art. Door County musicians and Door County performance artists perform 45-minute sets of original songs or a scene from a show. A large white tent holds anywhere from ten to twelve separate children’s activities. It’s a whirlwind day of fun, food, and art, with the goal being to educate about and celebrate the Door County arts by showcasing them in one locale.

The event took place at the Anderson Dock in Ephraim for two years before Hardy Executive Director Jan Comstock saw the need to expand. “We wanted to be able to incorporate family activities into the festival, and we were growing enough in those two years that choosing a better location seemed like the best idea.” As a result, the Hardy moved the festival to downtown Ephraim area and rescheduled it for the second weekend in August, where it has seen steady growth over the years. Last year, Comstock says, it was evident that a change needed to be made. Between 45 different artist tents in a cramped space, the inability to properly showcase performing artists, and the scorching heat, it was pretty clear that the Hardy was going to have to expand the festival, or quit doing it altogether. Because of the Hardy’s mission of promoting awareness, understanding, and appreciation of Door County art, it was decided to go with the former.

Although Comstock and the Hardy staff had been thinking about potential ways to grow the festival in a feasible way, the best idea came from an artist who had participated in the festival for many years. “An artist gave me a call and said, ‘If you’d ever think about relocating the visual arts part of the festival, I think the Sister Bay Waterfront Park would be an excellent place to do it,’” says Comstock. And he was right – it was a magnificent site for the festival. “There was shade, no black asphalt, and plenty room to expand the family hands-on activities,” says Comstock. “Everyone at the Hardy just kept thinking about how great the space would be for the artists.”

However, Comstock is quick to point out that the new location doesn’t mean the festival is only confined to Sister Bay. “It is our hope that we can work together to hold the festival in both locations. Ephraim was the home of the festival for many years, and we want to include them in the planning of the event.” In fact, one of the reasons the Hardy decided to expand the festival from one- to two-day was so there could be opening ceremonies in Ephraim on Friday, August 8, with closing ceremonies the evening of Saturday, August 9 in Sister Bay.

The location in Sister Bay also means that the Hardy will be able to grow the festival for years to come – not just in terms of visual arts, but also for other types of art as well. For instance, new for the 2008 Festival of the Arts are specific events to showcase the culinary and literary arts. “There are all different types of art, and we want people to experience all the different kinds. There are more ideas that we want to pursue for when the festival gets bigger – doing something with film and other medias,” Comstock says. “We’re excited about the potential growth.”

The other thing that has created much excitement is the new partnerships that have been formed as a result of the festival’s expansion. The Hardy’s 2008 Festival Planning Committee is made up of people from a variety of business and non-profit groups, both in Sister Bay and Ephraim.

“This kind of partnering is great for the festival because it shows this can go beyond just being a Hardy event,” says Elizabeth Meissner, the Hardy’s Exhibitions and Community Relations Director. “This way, the Hardy is just another component, not the driving force.” Comstock agrees, saying “The only way to grow an event like this one is to combine volunteer and financial resources in order to make that happen.” This combined effort of many different groups will also help in advocating the importance of Door County in general, not just the Festival of the Arts.

“In seeing the results of the branding exercises conducted by the Door County Visitor Bureau, it became obvious that the arts and culture were not on the minds of our visitors,” says Comstock. “Working with all of these different groups shows that art and culture is on the minds of our residents – and this means that it can be on the minds of our visitors as well.”

Another way the FHCA is promoting partnerships in art is by, well, making it. The Mosaic Project, which will occur at the Hardy from July 15 through September 1, was conceived as a means to extend the dialogue of a united arts voice in Door County. The project will consist of small 6” x 6” canvases that have been individually crafted by professional artists, students, and community members of all age groups and artistic ability. The canvases will be assembled on-site at the Hardy Gallery, where selected members of the community will assist in the presentation of the final project. There will be a public viewing of the project being assembled starting on July 15, with the final project being unveiled (and opening reception) on July18. Each canvas will be available for purchase for a nominal fee. Meissner is excited about the prospects the project holds. “With this project, the Hardy is sending a message about the arts and how they are really important to everyone – not just the people who create it. The goal is to get art into the hands of as many people as possible.” The Mosaic Project will be on display during the weekend of the Door County Festival of the Arts.

Through the relocation and the expansion of the festival, Comstock points out that the mission of the festival – and the FHCA – has always stayed the same. “It’s all about celebrating and educating,” she says.

The FHCA’s annual Door County Festival of the Arts will take place on Friday and Saturday, August 8 and 9. Events for both days are in the final planning stages, with a full calendar of events for the festival to be available in the coming months. The FHCA’s Festival Committee is also eagerly accepting of any ideas or new committee members. If you are an artist or a lover of the arts and would like to get involved with the planning of this summer’s festival, please call the FHCA office at 920.854.2210.