Side Street Studio Arts kicks off 2020 visual art exhibitions
The gallery at Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin kicks off its 2020 visual art exhibition schedule on Friday, Jan. 17, with "Monochrome: Green."
The exhibit features the work of almost 30 area artists all exploring the color green. The exhibit runs Jan. 17 through Feb. 2. An artists reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, at the gallery, 15 Ziegler Court in downtown Elgin. The event is free and open to the public.
"The gallery is the heart of Side Street," said0 Tanner Melvin, founder and executive director. "We count on the work of the talented artists around us to fill its walls with art that will entertain, enthrall, and inspire, and we know the 2020 slate of exhibitions will do just that."
2020 is made up of both curated and open-call exhibitions.
There are currently open calls for work for Side Street Studio Arts's annual anniversary celebration and the Elgin Fringe Festival.
The gallery will celebrate "Year 7," with an open call show that will be judged on opening night. The judges' favorite will receive a cash prize sponsored by Elgin Public House and the audience favorite will receive a yearlong Lab Membership for the Lab space.
Two events sponsored by the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission return to the Side Street lineup in 2020.
The 10th annual Going Dutch Festival, a celebration of the female voice in dance, music, theater and the visual arts, will return to downtown Elgin and the gallery at Side Street for a fourth year.
The seventh annual Elgin Fringe Festival, which is an uncurated, uncensored event, will also return, and the call for visual art is currently open at elginfringefestival.com.
Side Street Studio Arts looks forward to new collaborations in 2020 taking over the walls in both the gallery and theater. In May and June, two exhibitions in conjunction with "ELGbtq," the producers of the first-ever Elgin Pride Parade will be presented, and in November Elgin's Oddball Art Labs' weird wonders will be featured in the two spaces.
Annual staples returning this year are "Unidxs VI" (July), "Re:POPVIII" (August), and "Something Wicked" (October).
The gallery also will feature the work of its current artist-in-residence Kathryn Eli (April), and staff member Mary Sweeney of Horror Floral (February).
Side Street Studio Arts was founded by Melvin and Erin Rehberg in 2013 as an outlet for the Elgin arts scene. Side Street provides educational and creative resources and an inclusive space, run by artists. Side Street's mission is to support the artist and artistic journey through collaboration.
When an exhibit is on display, gallery hours are: noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, or by appointment.
For more information, contact Side Street Studio Arts at (847) 429-2276, or visit sidestreetstudioarts.org.