‘Tis the Season Down to a Fine Art

The Columbus Arts Festival gears up for its 61st go ’round

By Lucy Lawler

NO TWO COLUMBUS Arts Festivals are the same, and this year’s offering – slated for June 9-11 – is no exception.

First and foremost, the community favorite event has a new director: Alexis Perrone. Perrone, who has some 20 years of experience in event planning and marketing at such local institutions as WOSU and Experience Columbus, considers the upcoming festival a magnum opus of sorts.

“I would say it’s probably been the greatest and most precious honor of my career,” Perrone says.

One new highlight this year is a fashion show featuring the work of five Columbusbased designers, scheduled for the evening of June 9.

A pop-up called Scribble is set to extend across all three days of the festival as 12 artists work together to create one giant piece of art. This pop-up is based on Scrawl, another local festival based in Franklinton.

Just as downtown Columbus is subject to consistent development and change, so is the festival.

“Through no power of our own, Bicentennial Park will be closed,” says Jami Goldstein, vice president of marketing at the Greater Columbus Arts Council, which coordinates the festival. “So our main stage will be the amphitheater at Genoa Park on the west side of the river.”

Even with some rearranging, the summer celebration remains steadfast in its goal of unifying people by way of art.

“Art is a common dialogue,” Goldstein says. “No matter what language you speak, no matter where you come from or how much money you have, art can bring us together and generate conversation where there was previously divide.” CS

To read about featured artists, check out “Emerging Artists” on page 36.

Lucy Lawler is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com