20,000 Attend MOWA Art & Chalk Fest

The Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) presented its Art & Chalk Fest on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28.  It was the third annual version of this free, outdoor arts festival, which featured a juried selection of 60 or more fine artists selling their work and 17 chalk artists from across the nation. The festival was a big hit, with more than 20,000 visitors attending it.

“Art & Chalk Fest 2019 was an extraordinary success. The new MOWA Gardens and West Bend River walk East provided an expansive space for visitors to enjoy and stay for an entire weekend,” said MOWA Executive Director and CEO Laurie Winters.

The juried selection of fine artists included those working in a variety of media: basketry, ceramics, fiber, fine art, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, mixed media, photography and wood.

The museum parking lot became a concrete canvas for chalk artists to create ephemeral master works, many of which offered a three-dimensional illusion. Festival attendees also voted for their favorite chalk artworks.

MOWA was free and open to the public for the entire weekend of Art & Chalk Fest and some visitors also checked out the summer exhibition, with a very Wisconsin theme:  “Among the Wonders of the Dells: Photography, Place, Tourism.”

Art activities for all ages were offered throughout the festival. In addition, the festival featured live music and entertainment, food vendors and a beer garden.

A new feature of the festival was the MOWA Gardens, a four-acre green space with 800 quaking aspen trees, 1,200 hydrangeas, outdoor sculptures, and interconnected walkways for wayfinding or meandering.

Our photos capture the action.

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