Art in the Park is the Shiawassee Art Center’s annual event that takes place during the Owosso Curwood Festival the first full weekend in June.

Art in the Park is comprised of activities for children, face painting, funny photos, sales of popcorn, pop, candy, book signings by Michigan authors, and other events.

Volunteers Needed! Call (989) 723.8354

Become one of the many thousands of people each year who look forward to the second weekend in June for one of the premier events the community has to offer.

Listen to local music by some of our areas best musicians. Stop by our concessions tent to enjoy a soda or bratwurst. For those 21 or older quench your thirst with an “adult” beverage at the Sidewalk Cafe.

It Happens RAIN OR SHINE
6/13/2008 - 6 PM - 10 PM
6/14/2008 - 10 AM - 6 PM
6/15/2008 - 11 AM - 5 PM

Friday Night 6/13/2008
Go Friday evening from 6-10pm
for a FREE evening of Pre-Fair music.

Artists can register online

Click here for information
on fees & services.

The deadline for submitting applications for the 2008 Fair was March 10, 2008.

For more information visit http://www.flintartfair.org/

The 44th Annual MSU Spring Arts and Crafts Show will take place
May 17th, 9 am - 6 pm, and May 18th, 10 am - 5 pm!

329 booths of unique, hand-made items from artists and crafters around the country will be displayed on the grounds of the MSU Union.

You won’t want to miss this final UAB event of the semester!

Please contact UAB at 517-355-3354 for more information about the show.

The University Activities Board annually sponsors two major regional arts and crafts shows at the MSU Union. The Holiday Arts and Crafts Show is held the first weekend in December. The Spring Arts and Crafts Show is held the third weekend in May in conjunction with the East Lansing Art Festival. Please call the UAB Office at (517) 355-3354 for more information. Both shows are free for the public to attend.

The Holiday Arts and Crafts Show is one of the state’s largest indoor holiday shows with over 200 exhibitors. This Saturday/Sunday show is held throughout the four floors of the MSU Union building with attendance figures regularly exceeding 30,000. Please call the UAB Office for current booth fees.

The Spring Arts and Crafts Show is held outside on the grounds of the MSU Union. This show is held on Saturday and Sunday with over 300 exhibitors displaying items in a park-like setting on the MSU campus.

Most exhibitors utilize portable structures for their displays. The UAB Office can provide current booth fee prices. The East Lansing Art Festival is staged one block north of campus with over 225 exhibitors. More than 60,000 people annually attend these two outdoor shows.

To participate as an exhibitor, interested parties must first apply online to be placed on the mailing list. Please click on the link below and select “New Patron Request” from the Arts and Crafts Show Main Menu. Complete the new patron request form, and select mailing list(s) you would like to participate in (the annual holiday show, the annual spring show, or both). Once placed on the mailing list, exhibitors will receive a Patron ID Number (required to apply for the shows), and application date reminders (postcards) for upcoming shows. Once the new patron request is completed, patrons may edit their information at any time by selecting “Edit Patron Information,” also on the Arts and Crafts Show Main Menu.

The University Activities Board requires that the exhibitor produce the majority of the item that is displayed. Commercial/Buy-Sell products and food items are not permitted and will be removed from the exhibit if found to be displayed.

Hundreds of artists from Michigan and beyond come to Downtown East Lansing to exhibit art of all kinds. Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, Blown Glass, Wood, Metal, Photography and more fill the booths that line our downtown streets.

The Festival features a variety of activities, performances, and demonstrations as well as food from dozens of vendors with tastes from around the world!

Go to their website to learn more.

More About the East Lansing Art Festival

Established in 1964, the East Lansing Art Festival is held every spring during the weekend prior to the Memorial Holiday weekend. Known for featuring the highest caliber fine art and fine craft, this highly anticipated Festival attracts 70,000-80,000 attendees from across the region. Through the jury process approximately 230 artists from across the United States and Canada are invited to exhibit each year. Jurors also invite emerging artists to participate through a competitive selection process. Emerging artists must be affiliated with an institution of higher education within the last 2-3 years.

* 230 artist exhibitors from all over the U.S. and Canada
* 8 emerging artists affiliated with Michigan universities, colleges or art schools.
* Free performances on two stages highlighting a wide variety of music.
* Free arts activities for children and families.
* An international-style food court offering flavors from around the world.

East Lansing is a charming University town with a wide variety of shops, restaurants, galleries and the beautiful Michigan State University campus across the street. The East Lansing Art Festival is produced by the Art Festival Board of Directors under the auspices of the East Lansing Arts Commission/City of East Lansing.

The East Lansing Art Festival is held the weekend preceding Memorial Day weekend. The festival operates 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

This is also the same weekend on the MSU Campus is the Spring Arts and Crafts Show. This fair is separately organized and run by the University Activities Board Office.

I am pleased to announce my partnership with THE ARTISAN’S CIRCLE in Old Town Lansing, Michigan.

I met with Deirdre Hunt and Paula Gibson this mornings at 9am. “Oh, you came early!” Deirdre said with that accent I could listen to all day long. She immediately called another owner from home for the jury process. Three owners of the co-op must approve the work of a new artist before they are allowed to join. Both Deirdre and Paula were eager to see my paintings. They’d been looking for another wall artist. I went to my Bravada, freshly polished yesterday for good luck, and grabbed my smallest bin of paintings holding many 8×10 seascapes. “Good. A variety of sizes.” She said enthusiastically as I walked in the door. “I’m off to a good start” I thought. They led me toward the back of the Gallery where I proceeded to lay out some of my paintings. Deirdre loved my wavy frame and how the fish swam right out of the picture onto it. She picked it up to take a closer look. Paula remarked on how nicely the backs were finished, “It makes a difference,” She said.

Things just kept getting better as I showed them my work. I was energized by their excitement. I took 6×6 Dreamy Window Ceramic Tile out of the bubble wrap and set it on my table top easel. “Do you have the originals for these?” Deirdre asked. I felt she was asking because she was in question if I was the creator. She was, and rightfully so. Everything in the THE ARTISAN’S CIRCLE must be a creation of the artist. When I explained the process and showed her the original she was satisfied. “It looks just like Yorkshire” she exclaimed.

Paula had a great idea to display the tiles alongside the originals. When she held them together in the air to demonstrate her vision I whole-heartedly agreed. It was perfect! Paula arranges items and displays in the Gallery daily to create energy and a continual new look and feel especially for the repeat customers. I agreed with the ideas and practices this veteran artist had to offer for my own work specifically as well as thoughts about the business end of art. She is very passionate about what happens to not only the gallery but with the artists and customers as well. I felt both ladies were genuine and knowledgeable which was an essential component for me to join their circle.

Many wonderful exchanges were made and I did decide to join. I am excited and a bit nervous with the unknown. It’s quite an investment of money, time, emotion and energy. I do love what I know of Old Town with it’s First Sunday of the Month Gallery Walks and all the festivals through the warmer months. I’m excited to be a part of such a talented group and look forward to getting to know them. Please visit . I’ll be working 24 hours a month in the Gallery. I’d love to see some familiar faces when I’m there. Our hours are:

Taste & Tour of Old Town - Sunday, April 6

Sample the food of Old Town as well as get a glimpse of some of the newly renovated lofts in the area, noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6.

Formerly Old Town on Ice, the Taste & Tour of Old Town gives visitors a chance to taste specialties from Rendezvous on the Grand, Vernadine’s Soul Food, Grand Cafe Sir Pizza, Pablo’s Panaderia, Mama Bear’s Cafe, Poppa Leo’s Pizza, Golden Harvest, Olympic Broil and October Moon.

New this year are loft tours, which give Old Town residents a chance to show off their living space. Visit the Old Town Commercial Association office, 1232 Turner St., for a map of the tour the day of the event.

Tickets are $13 in advance, $15 the day of or $5 for just the tour portion.

For more info, visit www.iloveoldtown.org or call 485-4283.  - Emily Smith