8th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show Reaches Capacity with 181 Artists

The Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts announces the 8th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show on Saturday, February 27, 2016 in downtown Newport, Arkansas. The show will be open to the public at 10 a.m. and runs through 6 p.m. This year’s show features 181 artists from three states and 61 Arkansas communities, highlighting primarily artists who grew up in the Delta, live or have lived in the Delta or who produce Delta themed work. The visual art covers a broad range of art from pottery to painting and jewelry to sculpture.

The show will be held at several locations in downtown Newport including, the Iron Mountain Train Depot on Front Street, the Newport Business Resource Center on Hazel Street, the old Post Office on Hazel Street, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Third Street, The First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall on Laurel Street, the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall on Walnut Street, the Brick Terrace Garden on Front Street, the Seeds of Faith Church on Walnut Street, the W.A. Billingsley Library on Walnut Street, the John Minor Building on Front Street and in two very large heavy duty tents that will turn the Hazel Street and Walnut Street into art galleries. Artists will have their work on display, and visitors will be able to meet the artists as well as purchase pieces. This is a unique opportunity to own an original piece of art and to understand how the artist produced the piece. Several artists will be conducting demonstrations at their booths during the show. The show features well-known artists from throughout the state and young new artists who are setting up for the very first time. For a complete list of artists participating feel free to email director@newportaredc.org.

In addition to being able to visit with artists and purchase art work, there will also be workshops throughout the day. The Delta Visual Arts Show will feature workshops and demonstrations for adults on various artistic techniques. All workshops are free and links to the event pages can be found on the Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts Facebook page under events.

This year there will be workshops for youth, with two workshops aimed at children from 4 years old to 8 years in the morning and two workshops aimed at ages 9 to 13 in the afternoon. The workshops are free and information is also located on the Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts Facebook page under events.

Featured again this year are Art Bucks Door Prizes during the show. Five times during the day, drawings will be held for $100 to be spent toward the purchase of art from the show. You must be present during the drawings to win. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the amazing creativity of artists who capture the Delta way of life in an amazing array of mediums. Plus, you have a chance to win money to help you take a piece of art home! The Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts is also hosting the 5th Annual Children of the Delta Youth Art Contest in connection with the 8th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show. Awards will be given in four categories: Pre-K and Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades, 3rd and 4th grades, and 5th and 6th grades. For complete guidelines and contest deadlines contact the Newport Economic Development Office at 870-523-1009.

The Annual “This is the Delta” Art Show for adults who are participating in the 8th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show will be held this year. Awards will be given in the following categories: painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, pottery, mixed media, jewelry and woodworking. The winners, including 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category and a Best of Show will be announced by noon on February 27, 2016 in connection with the 8th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show. All entries will remain on display in the Old First National Bank Building (the John Minor Building) throughout the show. This year the show will feature several downtown eating establishments. The Downtown Pie Shop will be serving wonderful fresh pie and beverages from their building on Walnut Street during the show. MJ’s Café on Third Street will be open for their wonderful lunch options. Bridget’s Café will be open on Front Street right next to the Brick Terrace Garden venue. Sam’s Diner will serve plate lunches on Second Street. For the sweet tooth, Hazel’s Bakery will be open during the day. Convenient transportation from venue to venue will be provided by both the Art Train and the golf cart limo that will make regular rounds.

The Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts project is a joint project of the Iron Mountain Regional Arts Council, the Downtown Revitalization and Improvement Volunteer Effort (DRIVE), Entergy, the City of Newport, the Newport Economic Development Commission, Merchants and Planters Bank, the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of local volunteers. Development of the show was facilitated by the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Funding for advertising is supplied through the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council. Artists from last year’s show also donated pieces that were auctioned to raise the majority of funding for this year’s show. For more information feel free to call 870-523-1009 or email director@newportaredc.org.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.