As local art shows become more and more popular, LV Arts Inc., in Leavenworth, Kan. hosted a contest themed Rock, Paper, Scissors recently, and Weston was one of the communities whose artists were invited to compete for a prize. The contest’s winning artists’ works will be on display at the LV Arts at the Park event next month.
Residents from Platte County are invited to attend the event Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. To 6 p.m. at Stubby Park in Leavenworth.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase, and everything else is free to enjoy. The event will begin with art and yoga.
“Stay late for our Color Jamboree Dance party, complete with colored powder that will make for awesome photo opportunities,” LV Arts president and co-founder Michaela Fitzgerald said.
There will also be a giant hillside mural at the event.
In addition to cities in Leavenworth County, the contest also included the communities of Atchison, Bonner Springs, Fort Leavenworth, and Piper, Kan., along with Weston. LV Arts then selected a winner from each area to represent their community on the day of the Leavenworth Arts at the Park event. Winning pieces will be framed and displayed on 4.5 foot by 6 foot screens throughout the park. The overall winner will be announced on stage at the event, and the winning artist will receive $100 and a LV Arts at the Park event T-shirt. The other area winning artists will also receives T-shirts. The celebration will include artist tents featuring pieces in watercolor, oil, and acrylic paint, ceramics, 3D metal sculptures, printmaking, photography, and more. Attendees will have the option of choosing and purchasing unique pieces of art.
Children will also be offered unique opportunities to use their imaginations as the medium for creating new and exciting worlds during the guided imaginative tours that will take place on the playground.
“On top of other free, art-making opportunities throughout the park, we’ll also have live performances on stage, featuring dancers and singers from around the county,” Fitzgerald said.
The mission of LV Arts is to build, broaden, and nurture the community’s love for the arts by creating opportunities for people to view, make, and celebrate art together.
“Our vision is that LV Arts will grow into a Center for the Arts in Leavenworth that is sustained through community support and diverse revenue streams, including grants, fundraising, memberships, events, and programming,” Fitzgerald said. “We are excited to offer this big, immersive arts event just two years after becoming incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We understand the importance of community support in the process of growing LV Arts into a fully sustainable, arts organization.”
This is the first year LV Arts will host LV Arts at the Park, made possible by many organizations and businesses, including the City of Leavenworth Parks and Recreation, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Leavenworth, as well as through a generous grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission.
“I initially reached out to Nancy Baker from Leavenworth Parks and Recreation to ask if this event was something we could partner on, as it takes place in one of our city parks,” Fitzgerald said. “She has been very helpful throughout the planning process, and has helped organize meetings with other city entities to ensure the event is a success.”
The event will ensure that artists in many communities have the opportunity to share their works of art. LV Arts believes in art for all, and that creative people in every community have locations and events where they can not only exhibit their artistic works, but also become drivers of economic growth and positive cultitural change.
Fitzgerald believes there is a lot of power in the arts to connect people and to revive and uplift a community. After teaching English for seven years, she recently finished her first year as an art teacher at Lansing High School in Lansing, Kan.
“It was a refreshing switch in content and an opportunity to explore other creative practices,” Fitzgerald said. “It certainly was an exploration for both my students and me, and I look forward to growing in my own artistic skills and content knowledge.”
LV Arts at the Park will host 16 adult artists, including Lawrence, Kan. artist Angie Pickman who specializes in paper cutting and collage artwork. Six young artists will also have the opportunity to feature their work under the tents.
“I am most looking forward to seeing the vision for LV Arts at the Park all come together to create a truly immersive, arts experience,” Fitzgerald said. “This is just the beginning for our organization and this flagship event, and we want people to have a good time and to celebrate the arts in our community together. Art is an important piece of every community in its ability to intersect cultures, and we know this to be a powerful agent for positive growth and change.”