Art and music lovers returned in droves to the 2022 Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival, proving they are the premier arts festival in Central New York. Colorscape enjoyed excellent attendance approaching 12,000 visitors. This free arts festival is presented in an interactive atmosphere featuring artist demonstrations, literary, dance, music, and arts activities for all ages, student art exhibits, and creative food vending. Organizers are eager to announce the 29th Colorscape Festival, September 9 & 10, 2023, in Downtown Norwich, NY.
The Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival jury met in March to review applications. “Jurors were John Knapp (wood), Deb Sylstra (fiber), Beth Dubois (jeweler), and Sonoka Gozelski (2-D collage artist), as always a huge thank you goes out to them,” says Peggy L Finnegan, Visual Arts Coordinator. 107 artists have been accepted into this year’s show. “Once again, a few old-timers chose not to return, but several artists I hadn’t heard from since before the pandemic applied (Karl Hester and Ineke Fredriksen). There are 19 first-time exhibitors this fall, so there will be a lot of new art at the show,” added Finnegan.
Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival organizers are also inviting all high school art seniors (2022-23 calendar year) in Chenango and adjacent counties to apply for Colorscape’s 2023 Francis K. Wilcox Emerging Young Artist Scholarship. “This is our 15th year offering this scholarship,” says Celeste Friend, executive director of Colorscape. “It’s a way for Colorscape to recognize the amazing talent of the area’s young artists while encouraging them to broaden their knowledge of the art world.”
Two students will be selected to receive $350 cash awards plus a $100 gift certificate from Golden Artist Colors. They will also display and sell their work at the festival on September 9th and 10th in a booth provided by the festival.
The application form is now available online at www.colorscape.org and can also be found at area high school art departments and local libraries.
Colorscape’s 29th annual arts festival promises to be a notable one as they enter the next quarter-century. Watch for announcements about this year’s nationally recognized headlining musicians and performance poets.
About Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival: Recognized as one of the country’s top 100 classic and contemporary craft shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine, Colorscape Chenango has celebrated premier artists in downtown Norwich since 1995. This free, two-day festival in September features over 100 creators displaying and selling their paintings, sculptures, fabric art, fine crafts, photography, and more. Colorscape also offers nationally renowned musical performers, poetry and literary arts, food, and interactive art activities for all ages. The 2023 Colorscape will be held rain or shine on September 9-10 in East and West Parks in Norwich. The Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival is made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House.