Going Dutch festival celebrates women in art
Side Street Studio Arts is proud to bring the seventh annual Going Dutch Festival, a celebration of the female voice in dance, music, theater, and the visual arts, to Elgin. Events take place Friday through Sunday, June 16-18, at the Professional Building, 164 Division St.
The three-day festival will feature a visual art gallery, live music, and 12 ticketed performances featuring more than 200 artists. Festival passes are sold out, but single performance tickets are $10 and available at www.sidestreetstudioarts.org.
"When Side Street took over sole production of Going Dutch this year, we were excited to move the festival from Chicago to Elgin," said Going Dutch Festival and SSSA Founder Erin Rehberg.
"Bringing this diversity of talent and artistry to a less saturated market will allow both artists and audiences to delve deeper into the festival experience."
With the support of SSSA, the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, the Elgin Fringe Festival, and the Professional Building, this year, for the first time, the festival is offering stipends to performing artists, opening master classes to the surrounding community, instituting a Young Artist Program, and commissioning the work of the Illinois-based choreographers for world premiere at the festival.
"I am so excited that I was chosen for the Going Dutch Festival," said Connor Cornelius, who along with Chris Johnson, was selected for the first Going Dutch premiere commission project open to Illinois-based artists.
"It is an honor to be a part of a festival that celebrates women artists, which is a rarity. This festival commission is enabling me to fully produce my vision with support, which is something that I have never experienced to this extent before.
"I think this festival will propel me with confidence moving forward, along with inspiration and connections from a plethora of artists."
Visual and performing artists who self-identify as female were selected for the festival by a panel of four professional artists from the more than 100 submissions and hail from all over the United States.
Featured artists include Janelle Bonfour-Mikes of Blue Stocking, Kayli Bottorff, J. Lindsay Brown Dance, Christina Chammas, Chicago Burlesque Showcase, Libby Conkle, Connor Cornelius Choreography for GRIT Dance, Erin Cramer, Abigayle Cryderman, Dyanna Daniels, dropshift dance, Angelina Diana, Ashley Fargnoli, Kristi Faulkner Dance, Kira Fox, Robin-August Fritsch, Carrie Gant, Chloé Gray, Amanda Harris, Frances Hernandez, Madeleine Hicks, Hot Crowd, Kristin Ingram, Ishti, Chris Johnson - Chelonia Dance, Saffron Klekamp, Kimberly Kuba, Tiffany Lawson Dance, Julie Leir-VanSickle, Sofia Maes, Rachel E Maley, Sarah Manata, Lauren L Marchetto, Nora Masters, Kristine Medriano, The Movement Project, Maura Naughton, Nothing But Treble Women's Chorus under the direction of Rosalind Zager, Janelle O'Malley, Sarah Murff, Sarah Olson, Passion Dance Ensemble, Stefanie Piatkiewicz, Natalie Pivoney, Project606 Dance, Shaina Read, Erin Rehberg, Amal Rogers and Carlita Gay, Lily Sekeres, A.M. Strickland, Gina T'ai/Distance Dances, Thank You So Much For Coming, Chloe Topf, Emma Vassallo, Zelda Vidal, Kayleigh Weir, Amy Williams, Zazz, and more.
"I am thrilled about this year's GD lineup," said Rehberg. "There are artists who have been with us since year one, who I always look forward to working with, as well as up and coming young artists who I am excited to meet and learn from.
"I walk away from this festival every year with new ideas and new friendships. And I feel less alone and more supported as a female artist."
Full programs are available in this month's BRAVO Magazine and on SSSA's website. For more information on Going Dutch, visit www.sidestreetstudioarts.org or call (847) 429-2276.