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In the art world, there are big art fairs like the Art Basel and the Frieze where celebrity artists, collectors, and curators flock, and then, on the other end of the spectrum, there are smaller local fairs where artists and crafters from the community come to show local residents their work and their wares. Most people can marvel at the spectacular international shows, but often, local art is less appreciated. This post is our answer to those who doubt the importance of local art fairs.
When you go to local art fairs, you see art in the context and the community that inspired it, and in this century when communities are consistently starting to look more and more like each other, local art can give its city a sense of identity.
In his list of Top Ten Reasons to Support the Arts in 2014, Randy Cohen wrote:
University of Pennsylvania researchers have demonstrated that a high concentration of the arts in a city leads to higher civic engagement, more social cohesion, higher child welfare, and lower poverty rates. A vibrant arts community ensures that young people are not left to be raised solely in a pop culture and tabloid marketplace.
By helping create a unique sense of place for a community, art shows help attract tourists and new residents to a city, and the shows give these residents the opportunity to network and socialize.
Smaller art fairs allow local artists to show and sell their work without having to travel and transport their goods. This is important, but it is even more important that local art fairs give artists an opportunity to meet each other and get to know what is going on in their local art world.
These shows also give artists an opportunity to build a market for their art, so that they can continue to support their efforts and build their talents.
Picasso said, “The purpose of art is to wash the dust of daily life off our souls.” Local artists and art fairs give their communities a daily opportunity to rediscover beauty, imagination, and deep thought. and local art fairs can give make that opportunity more accessible than any international art fair could.
What do you think about local art fairs? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page!
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