Going Dutch Festival in Elgin celebrates female voice in the arts
If art is a reflection of the world around us, the pandemic has given the artists featured in Elgin's Going Dutch Festival plenty of time for contemplation and inspiration.
"One thing that we saw in the submissions for this year's festival is artists are just sort of responding and adapting to what COVID has made us all respond and adapt to," said co-artistic director Amanda Harris. "It's clear to us that these voices have been looking for an outlet and haven't had one for some time because of COVID."
The 11th annual festival, celebrating the female voice in dance, music, theater and the visual arts, begins Wednesday and runs through June 12. This year's iteration will feature outdoor performances, interactive workshops and a visual art exhibition that is available in-person or online. It's produced by Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin.
"I'm so excited to see live performances again," said Side Street executive director Erin Rehberg, co-artistic director of the event. "We have a mix of returning artists and new ones, which we always like. The returning artists mean we're doing something right, and the new ones allow the festival to evolve and grow and change."
The festival features 25 artists, most of whom are from Illinois but includes artists from across the United States. New to this year's festival is the inclusion of two, weeklong artists-in-residence. Chicago artists Sophie Allen and Jordan Reinwald will spend time at the Gallery at Side Street creating, performing and engaging with the community. Both artists create nontraditional dance works in response to loss.
The event has been scaled down from previous years and will feature two main performance days, but also includes the visual art gallery show and many interactive workshops with the artists. The full schedule and $15 festival passes are available at www.sidestreetstudioarts.org/goingdutch.
"People really engage with the artists, both through the workshops, as well as talking to them before and after the shows," Rehberg said.
Because of the pandemic, organizers had to avoid the small spaces they prefer for performances.
"One of the committee's favorite things about Going Dutch is seeing these performances and all this work in really intimate spaces," Rehberg said. "We've moved outside to allow for more distance between the artists and the audience, which is something we've pushed against for years."
Saturday's first main performance will be at the parking garage at Spring and Chicago streets.
"It will be as traditional as performing in a parking garage can get," Rehberg said.
The following Saturday, June 12, is a roving performance that starts at the Martini Room, moves to Riverside Drive and then to Meraki Market.
Rehberg said there's always something special that stands out every year.
"One moment will shine through," she said. "While there are things we love about every single moment in a festival, there is always one moment where we're like OK, that's the motivation that we needed to do it again next year."
"And I'm so freakin' excited to have that feeling again."