Booker Creek Arts Festival
For Leslie Curran, the Booker Creek Arts Festival is a celebration of art, of Booker Creek, and the historic EDGE District of St. Petersburg.
Leslie Curran has led St. Petersburg through many phases of cultural growth through the arts and arts-related events. In fact, she has been credited with laying much of the foundation for the current art and cultural climate in St. Petersburg. For decades, she has been a lead advocate and supporter of artists and the arts, and led the creation of art-centric events in St. Petersburg like the Second Saturday ArtWalk, First Night St. Pete, Art in the Park and others. This newest creation — the Booker Creek Arts Festival — brings together art and business in a way that has never been tried in this region, and could, as an annual event, raise St. Petersburg to a national level of arts prominence.
When and how did the concept for the Booker Creek Arts Festival come to be?
I make it a point to attend a variety of art festivals around the country, not only to see the art and support the artists, but see how the festivals are promoting the art and drawing audiences. One of those festivals I’ve visited for years is ArtFields in Lake City, SC. It’s an arts competition with a selection process to curate both the art and the venues in which the art is displayed. The venues are businesses and other buildings throughout the town. Simply put, the whole town becomes a giant art gallery, and the festival is a huge economic driver for the town and the arts community. The first time I visited ArtFields, I knew I wanted to create a similar festival in the historic EDGE District, where my gallery, ARTicles, was located, and for many years I served on the district’s board of directors. Booker Creek is the little creek that runs through the western end of the EDGE, under Central Avenue, and south next to the Tropicana. It was absolutely vital to the settlements in this area centuries ago. For such a small creek, it has huge historical importance to St. Petersburg’s development.
Describe the structure of the festival and how it’s different from other festivals.
One major difference is the physical space. This is not a “street festival” with closed streets, tents and booths. All art selected for the festival is installed inside of venues throughout the district. The participating venues are hotels, boutiques, retail shops, professional offices, restaurants and cafes, tasting rooms, and residential building lobbies. Artists are not required to be at the festival with the art, though many will be at the festival to experience it along with other visitors. Another big difference is that only one piece of art from each artist will be featured in this festival, rather than multiple pieces from each artist. Finally, it’s notable that because of its design, the festival becomes a community-wide event, where participating venues, artists and the community are all interacting to appreciate art and enjoy what the district has to offer. Many other festivals are confined to outdoor areas and don’t extend inside the physical space of local businesses.
How much and what type of art will the participating venues feature?
We’re working with each business to see how they can best feature art for the festival, and assess how much wall space would work for art. Based on their space, we curate which pieces of art are suitable, and how many. There will be a great variety of spaces, and each space will offer a different ambiance.
How is the art curated for this festival?
The Call to Artists was on-line, and set out the threshold criteria (e.g., dimension limitations) for the artwork and artist eligibility. We accepted artwork only from Florida artists, and each artist was permitted to submit only three pieces of artwork. The pieces for the festival were chosen by blind selection process, so the selection jury – comprised of noted art professionals – did not see the identity of the artist. The artwork had to meet the quality of fine art intended for this festival, and if so, the jury then selected one piece of art (from the three submitted by that artist) for installation at the festival.
What about prizes and awards?
Our monetary awards are some of the highest in the region, with a $10,000 Best in Show, a $7,500 Award of Excellence, ten $1,500 Merit Awards, and two $2,500 People’s Choice Awards, where the festival goers vote for the winners.
How has the response been from the district businesses?
They have been very excited about the festival. Given all the public art the EDGE District worked so hard to get — like the now iconic Sun on the EDGE sculpture in the roundabout — they truly appreciate the value that art brings to a community, and they also appreciate the economic impact that a festival like this can have on their business. Festival goers will literally be directed into their businesses to see artwork and vote on it for the People’s Choice Awards, which is an immediate benefit. In addition, the business receives 20% of sales for the festival artwork they have on display. We will have at least 50 venues participating across the district.
Will there be any live music or other live performances for the festival?
There will be a full slate of activities and performances, including a live mural paint-off, a plein air painting competition, glass blowing demonstrations, a special “Go with the Flow” art show hosted by Chad Mize, live music, live dancing, the Nomad Art Bus, and much more. Opening night there will also be an incredible surprise display. Stay tuned!
What are your long term goals for this festival?
My short term and long term goal is that the festival supports and elevates the arts in St. Petersburg, and serves as an economic driver for both artists and local businesses. My intention is to make this an annual event.
Will there be tracking of sales to determine outcomes?
Every business who participates as a venue for art will be tracking both art sales and general sales over the course of the four-day festival. We will also seek input from other galleries, museums, and businesses in St. Petersburg to gauge wider impact from the festival.
Why are community arts festivals important for St. Petersburg and Pinellas County?
Where would we be without the arts? From museums to galleries to cultural art centers to arts festivals — we become a destination for people to see how the arts are woven through and enhance all aspects of the community. Art promotes creativity and mental health.
Would you like to add anything?
Buy Art, Be Happy! Support /Donate/Sponsor/Volunteer to keep the arts alive in our community! •
