Ann Arbor Art Fair: A Love Letter to the Artist Community

Ann Arbor Art Fair:

A Love Letter to the Artist Community

by Kamryn Lowler

Karen Delhey, Frances Todoro-Hargreaves, and Angela Kline spend much of their year planning and promoting the Ann Arbor Art Fair, which brings more than 500,000 people to the Ann Arbor streets every July. For the directors, it’s a labor of love, and more than worth the countless hours to see the emotional and economic benefit to their beloved community.

What began as a small-scale effort to bring summer income to a college town has, in the 62 years since the first collaboration between artists and retailers, blossomed into the largest juried art fair in the country. In fact, the Ann Arbor Art Fair is actually made up of three separate juried fairs run by different nonprofits working collaboratively over

“The amazing thing about having this event in a city like Ann Arbor is that there’s no shortage of food choices! Whatever your mood, you can find it. Thai food? Check! Italian? Check! Burgers? Check! Brunch? Check! And this year there’s a social district in the Main Street area, allowing you to purchase adult beverages while walking around that section of the fair. You could also stop and sit at any number of the restaurants that are co-mingled with the artists throughout the fair and get totally immersed in the experience!” —Karen Delhey

the three-day event: the Original Street Art Fair (directed by Kline), the State Street Art Fair (directed by TodoroHargreaves), and the Summer Art Fair (directed by Delhey). These three co-directors work together well on a tight timeline and even tighter budget to put on this fine arts fair.

Their dedication shows, and the fair’s economic impact on the Ann Arbor region is undeniable. In 2019, the last year the fair operated at full capacity, it brought $400 million to the area. Statewide, the nonprofit arts industry is the region’s third largest, after retail and construction, and accounted for nearly $13.5 billion in 2020. Ann Arbor’s annual art fair is central to Southeast Michigan’s reputation as a beacon for the visual and performing arts.

This is truly a community effort. The three fair planners work throughout the year with the city, the Downtown Development Authority, and the tourism bureau (Destination Ann Arbor), as well as with residents and Ann Arbor businesses, to maximize the economic benefit while managing the challenges of hosting half a million visitors in just three days. Every year, volunteers drop everything that weekend to lend a hand.

As Todoro-Hargreaves notes, “These volunteers are in the neighborhood. They have a stake in it. They want to see the fair be successful because when the fair is successful, Ann Arbor is successful.”

Many downtown Ann Arbor stores and restaurants incorporate the Art Fair into their business plan. “We have several retailers that will have large spaces in the fair for sale merchandise,” says Todoro-Hargreaves. “These sales allow for the retailers to make room for the new fall inventory that

“Whether you need a rest break or something to help you power through the large fair footprint, the Ann Arbor Art Fair has the food for you. Our many sit-down restaurants will give you the option to get some air conditioning and a cold drink, or you can take your cold drink outside to enjoy alongside the artists. If this is your preference, stop by Knight’s, Palio, or Ashley's to have a seat. If grab-n-go is more your style, line-up for a slice at NYPD or something from the grill at Amer’s.” —Frances Todoro-Hargreaves

will arrive just after the fair and in time for the students to return to town.” Every city and town has its own personality and atmosphere that is created by the people and types of businesses in their community. “The Art Fair is an important event that enables the downtown businesses to prosper and create a special downtown.”

When the 2020 fair was canceled due to the pandemic, many local business owners were devastated and desperate for the fair’s return in 2021. “When Governor Whitmer came out at the beginning of June 2021 and reopened things fullon, my phone immediately started blowing up,” says TodoroHargreaves. “Our small businesses were reaching out to me about getting the art fair back up and running. Economically,

“As we all know, Ann Arbor is a culinary paradise, so it’s hard to choose just one favorite restaurant, but Jerusalem Garden has a special place in my heart. Not only is their Mediterranean menu is absolutely exquisite, but it was the romantic backdrop to some of the first dates with my husband over 20 years ago. This delightful restaurant has always been our go-to spot on Art Fair days as well. I highly recommend grabbing an amazing J. Garden Turkish coffee and making a day of the fair with someone you adore.” —Angela Kline

they needed to begin the recovery from the pandemic. With the help of our community partners, we busted it out, dusted it off, and got it going again.”

The Art Fair is a year-round undertaking and Delhey, TodoroHargreaves, and Kline need to make difficult decisions, prepare for many contingencies, and prioritize the health and safety of fair-goers. Planning, budgeting, marketing, and staffing the three fairs in conjunction requires finesse, talent, and tenacity. And when faced with the challenge of the pandemic, they rose to the occasion.

“You have to have some thick skin and be ready to make some tough decisions,” Delhey says. “And I think we all are able to do that. But we also are able to see the joy in what we are doing and truly enjoy working together through all of it. We have each other's backs and I love and respect these women a great deal.”

Delhey, Todoro-Hargreaves, and Kline are not the first strong women to support the efforts of the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Throughout the art fair’s long history, countless women have stepped into the director role. This is Kline’s first year in the role, and she’s keeping the fair’s history in mind.

“To understand the Ann Arbor Art Fair, it’s important to look at the contribution of the women who came before me, like Maureen Riley, who is stepping down after 12 years with the fair and who I’ve learned so much from,” says Kline. “I’m honored to walk in their footsteps, where I am welcomed by Karen and Frances, two of the savviest and hardest-working women in the business. I’ve been a longtime admirer of both of them.”

And while all three of these directors appreciate the fair’s economic impact and its rich history, it truly does come down to the art. In fact, in a 2016 Destination Ann Arbor study on the attractions Ann Arbor is best known for, the art fair ranked second, trailing only the University of Michigan.

“This fair is truly a love letter to the artist community,” Kline says. “The country’s finest artists gather at our juried fair to display their creativity, talent, and hard work every July.” The pandemic also had an impact on the artists that is worth noting. During these lockdowns, artists dove deeply into their art and their sources of inspiration, so visitors can expect some new and exciting pieces this year.

“From a creative standpoint, it’s fun to see all the new things that have come out of this time when artists had time to rediscover, reimagine, and do new things,” notes Delhey. The directors see the 2022 Ann Arbor Art Fair as a return to normal and an opportunity to celebrate the creative and dedicated community of artists, residents, visitors, and business owners that make the fair so special.

“Bringing the fair to life is such an honor and an absolute labor of love. Personally, as a mother of young children, I love showing them what can be accomplished through collaboration, especially after a difficult couple of years. The fair is a testament to the passion, grit, and determination of our city and our artists,” says Kline.

“When it comes down to it, being able to complete something like this event is one of the most exhilarating things that I do every year. It would not be possible without the devotion and teamwork of everyone involved,” says Todoro-Hargreaves.

Seeing the connections between people spark up again after a long couple of years inspires the hard work of these three dedicated women. “We’re doing something good, both for the artists and the community,” says Delhey. “There's just so much to love about it. It's a lot of hard work. But it feels so good afterward, like we’ve accomplished something amazing. And it’s just a lot of fun.”