CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL IS A BIG DRAW
Why the Fourth of July? And 11 other things you’ve always wondered about the event
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival each July attracts as many as 350,000 people to Denver to view the work of more than 250 artists.
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is one of the biggest annual events on the Front Range cultural calendar, with as many as 350,000 people showing up on the streets of Cherry Creek North each year to parse the wares of more than 250 painters, sculptors, photographers, ceramicists, jewelry-makers and more. The fest is among the most accessible art events around. It’s free, full of decent deals, and surrounded by all kinds of food, music and kid-friendly activities.
In advance of this year’s event — which kicks off with previews on Thursday, July 5, and moves into its full-blown street fair mode from Friday, July 6, through Sunday, July 8 — we asked the team at Cherry arts, which produces the festival, to answer some questions. Q. What do the artists pay for their booths? Can they make decent money? A. We work hard to create an environment for artists to be successful. Last year, artists reported more than $3.2 million in sales, over the three days, for an average of $12,500 per artist. Artist booth fees range from a flat fee of $800 to $925 for the event
and artists retain 100 percent of the revenue from their sales.
Q. Is it competitive?
A. This year, more than 2,100 artists applied, making CCAF one of the most competitive shows of its kind in the country. A wellbalanced show of artistic excellence, quality, creativity and FESTIVAL » 3E
overall impression of original handcrafted work are the criteria for selection. We do not have any invitations or quotas for the show, except the 12 artist awardwinners from the previous year are invited. We also hire a new jury of five every year, which offers a fresh take on the show and a new opportunity for artist applicants. This year, for instance, 25 percent of the show is made up of artists who have never before exhibited at CCAF.
Q. Who is typically on your jury? A. Each year we hire five art
professionals to sit in the dark for four days in January to jury the show. We like to ensure that at least two of the jurors are artists in the field and the other three are art professionals; we try to balance expertise across the different disciplines of art.
Q. Do the jurors know the identity of the artists when they review the work? A. It is a blind process; the
jurors have access to images, pricing and statements, but we don’t disclose the artist’s identity. That being said, many of the jurors do know some of the applicants. It’s just the nature of what they do.
Q. Can you go to the fest with $100 and walk away with something amazing? What about $50? A. Absolutely. Our theme this
year is “Art Is for Everyone,” and we’re serious about it. There are many artists with varying price points who are dedicated to cultivating first-time buyers. Our passion for creating lifelong relationships to art and culture is also apparent in all of the interactive art experiences at the event, where guests of all ages can come to learn about and create artwork themselves.
Q. And is it possible to say what the average art purchase is? Maybe it isn’t? A. We have been trying the
past few years to collect this data and feel like we’re closer, but
don’t have a clear picture yet.
Q. Do people actually buy those really expensive things we see, like, say, a $15,000 sculpture? A. As I mentioned, there are
definitely a variety of price points, and we do have some serious collectors. We also find that many sales take place after the festival with commissions.
Q. What does it mean when an artist wins a jury prize? Is there cash attached? How much? A. The awards do come with a
cash prize; however, the main incentive for our 12 award-winners is a jury-exempt invitation to next year’s show.
Q. One of the best things about the art fair is that visitors often get to meet the artist. But what questions should you ask them? A. Two hundred and sixty-five
artists are going to be on the streets of Cherry Creek North to interact with guests over the weekend. Find what you love and ask away. Artists often comment that they enjoy doing shows like this, because it allows for a deeper interaction with their patrons. When a personal connection is made, I find it leads to a greater appreciation of their work.
Q. What is the No. 1 thing people buy there? Jewelry? Ceramics? Paintings? We just want to know where the deals are. A. Fortunately for the artists
joining us, patrons support many disciplines of work. A great place to kick off your visit is our Art Auction Exhibit at 2nd and Clayton. Our Young Professional advisory board, Perspective, presents the auction in conjunction with their ongoing efforts to cultivate future art buyers.
Q. How does the fest make money? You use profits from the fair to fund your yearround programming. Do you publicly say your annual revenues are from the event? A. As a nonprofit organization,
Cherryarts remains committed to providing access to the arts for all Coloradans. All event proceeds benefit our mission of providing access to art experiences and supporting our year-round education initiatives. We are dedicated to growing the impact of those initiatives in the next several years.
Q. Finally, the weather question. What happens if a threeday storm settles in? Does everybody go home empty-handed? A. Weather can definitely have
an impact on outdoor events. One factor that was considered when selecting the show dates for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival was the time of year in Denver that receives the least amount of precipitation. According to historical data, it’s right around the Fourth of July. Knock on wood, but so far, we haven’t had to shorten the show due to weather.