Side Street Studio Arts celebrates 8th anniversary with 'You Are Not the Boss of My Art'
Side Street Studio Arts in downtown Elgin is celebrating its eighth anniversary with a night of visual art and live music on Friday, March 5.
Stop by from 6 to 9 p.m. at the studios located at 15 Ziegler Court. The event is all ages and open to the public.
There is a $5 suggested donation at the door for the exhibition or $10 online for one of 20 tickets to the music and exhibition.
Since opening March 1, 2013, Side Street Studio Arts has become a home for both fringe and mainstream performing and visual artists.
In 2020, Side Street Studio Arts hosted: 18 visual art exhibitions, 24 music performances, 29 live performing arts events, 43 free or low-cost arts education events, 66 hours of Community Moves arts education outreach programming, four artist internships, four Summer Youth Employment in the Arts staff, 13 live paint events, six issues of the new zine "The String," coproduced the Elgin Fringe Festival with the City of Elgin, maintained "MADE," a one-of-a-kind arts retail collective in downtown Elgin, and reached over 7,000 individuals with free Brown Bag Art Kits.
While some of those numbers are down from years prior, Side Street found ways to continue artistic engagement during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
"We stopped much of our in-person programming almost immediately following our year 7 celebration, last year," said Tanner Melvin, founder and executive director. "We are proud of the work we've done since then to keep Side Street afloat and support and engage our community, making this year 8 celebration our most significant yet. And, while we may not have a lot of the usual activities, crowd, or cake, it doesn't make it any less cause for celebration."
The "Year 8" theme, "You Are Not the Boss of My Art," was inspired by engagement with the new Side Street Art Mobile, which has been working its way into the community, where members have been invited to decorate its exterior.
Young artist Else Smith wrote the phrase on "SSAM" last fall, and it became an inspiration to both Side Street artists and community members.
The "Year 8" event is highlighted by an uncurated visual art exhibition, which features the work of area artists, including Danielle Piloto, Daniel Edward, David Bremer, Victoria May, BaM!, Kathryn Fredrickson, Elena Disabato, Despairè Nöirè, Bobby Rowland, Rachel Taylor, William McNeil, Elsie Smith, Molly Smith, Cynthia Smith, Joshua L Smith, Danielle Pontarelli, Janelle O'Malley, Marty Trejo, Mary Sunde, Ally Dzurka, Anna Gosciejew, Lance Long, Kristin Childs, Kurt Erickson, Christie Batka, Tricia Marcella Cimera, Matt Getz, Emily Baughman, Anton V Ilivanov, Paul Sanchez, Karl Jahnke, chris block, Kelly Swayne, Kathie Collinson, Carol Hamilton, Natalie Pivoney, DIFF, Aodan, Yesenia Arroyo, Jamey Bouwmeester, Nicki Fortunati-Warren, Erick Anderson, Paul Kopp, Dream in Color, Hallie Morrison, Julie Vahos, Pamela Seatter, Ken Simonsen, Victoria Nagode, Chris Arrecis, Claire Noland, Horror Floral, Jess Rocha, and more.
"For a fourth year, a panel of judges will adjudicate the works and a cash prize will be awarded to a selected artist or artists," Melvin said. "Additionally, the audience vote will last the entire month. The artists with the highest vote count at the end of March will receive a prize package and Lab Membership from SSSA."
The "Year 8" judges are painter Brad Davis; artist, curator, and writer Lauren Iacoponi; sculptor Benjamin Stone; and artist and Associate Professor of Painting at Northern Illinois University Nina Rizzo.
Both the Gallery and MADE, SSSA's curated retail experience, located at 13 S. Spring St., will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and have weekly hours from noon to6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays for the month of March.
Additionally, the 2020 Battle of the Band winner The Mini Projects will perform two 30-minute sets in Backspace at 7 and 8 p.m. The concerts are open to 10 audience members only, and tickets are currently available at sidestreetstudioarts.org.
The performances also will be streamed live during the event.
Properly fitted masks are required for admission to all SSSA events and spaces. There will be reduced capacity in all spaces to allow for proper distancing, and enhanced cleaning procedures have been implemented. You may have to wait to be admitted, if the exhibition is at capacity.
Side Street Studio Arts was founded by Elgin residents 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. For more information on any of SSSA's programs, visit sidestreetstudioarts.org, call (847) 429-2276 or email info@sidestreetstudioarts.org.