Fine Arts show just one of St. Charles' arts month events
On Monday, May 4, St. Charles Mayor Don DeWitte will announce a proclamation to make "May is Art Month" in the community, where annual events have for years attracted thousands to the riverfront city.
The announcement is planned for the city council meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 2 E. Main St. in St. Charles.
"Dedicating the month of May as Art Month in St. Charles is yet another way we as a community continually support the arts," said Sue McDowell, chairwoman of the 11th annual St. Charles Fine Art Show. "St. Charles' commitment to the arts is represented in many traditions, including the Fine Art Show, Sculpture in the Park, which is now in its fourth year, and the ongoing focus on St. Charles' public art, which visitors and residents have long enjoyed and appreciated as well."
On May 23-24, the Downtown St. Charles Partnership will welcome nearly 100 national, regional and local artists to the banks of the Fox River for the 11th annual Fine Art Show, where art buyers will find for exhibit and sale an array of painting, jewelry, sculpture, photography, ceramic and glass. This year, students from Norton Creek Elementary School and Haines Middle School will have an interactive role with the St. Charles Fine Art Show, as they create mosaics for their schools. McDowell said the project is debuting with the 2009 show and is anticipated to grow exponentially for future shows.
The Downtown St. Charles Partnership's fourth annual Sculpture in the Park features 12 custom-designed sculptures in various media. This year's exhibit was installed at Mount St. Mary Park April 22, and will be on display through Oct. 12, featuring the work of local artists, as well as sculptors representing Colorado, Wisconsin, New York and Minnesota. In 2007, the exhibition was a Top Three Finalist in then-Lt. Governor Pat Quinn's Awards for Excellence.
The St. Charles Park District is a co-presenter of the Sculpture in the Park with the Downtown St. Charles Partnership and its Design Committee. Last year's six-month exhibit helped draw more than 8,000 visitors to the park.
"We're pleased that Mayor DeWitte has once again proclaimed May as Arts Month in St. Charles," said David Richards, executive director of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership. "Our community has a long and proud tradition of supporting the arts, both visual and performing. It seems that May is annually a high point in the arts in our town, but in reality, the arts are supported throughout the year."
Richards pointed out that venues such as Steel Beam Theatre, the Norris Cultural Arts Center and the Arcada Theater provide live performances throughout the year. "And when you add the St. Charles Singers, the Fine Line Creative Arts Center, the various galleries and studios, it becomes pretty evident why St. Charles is well known as an arts center."
For information about the Downtown St. Charles Partnership, the 11th Annual St. Charles Fine Art Show, the Sculpture in the Park exhibit, or other events and activities, visit www.dtown.org, or call the Partnership office at (630) 513-5386.