8th Annual DownStreet Art Festival

The 8th Annual DownStreet Art Festival is a summer-long arts festival taking place June 25 – September 24, 2015 in temporary and vacant spaces in downtown North Adams, Massachusetts. DownStreet Art is a public art project designed to revitalize downtown North Adams, a post-industrial city in the Berkshires. The program promotes artistic excellence, builds economic and social capital, and encourages dialogue between the community and the arts by bringing professional artists and performers to venues throughout downtown North Adams. Exhibition openings and happenings take place on June 25, July 30, August 27, and September 24.

DownStreet Art seeks quality work in all media including drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography, performance, and multi-discipline work. The festival is especially interested in proposals that activate spaces beyond traditional exhibitions, such as proposals with ongoing interactive elements, temporary outdoor installations, exhibitions that encourage participation, or works-in-progress culminating in a performance or exhibition opening. If proposing new work, submit examples of similar work and at least one sketch of the proposed work. All work must have been created within the past three years.

For selected artists, DownStreet Art provides the location, marketing, and staffing for the duration of the exhibit. Artists are responsible for delivery/shipping costs, installation and de-installation assistance, and participation in community engagement activities as possible. DownStreet Art provides insurance coverage against damage or loss during exhibition at 70% of stated sale price. The organization retains a 30% commission on any sales, with artists receiving 70% of the selling price. DownStreet Art will promote programs through brochures, posters, flyers, maps, print and social media, and the website. Contact Michelle Daly at [email protected] or 413-663-5253 with questions.