Art on the Square’s Preview Party

ART on the SQUARE held its 14th annual preview party, “An Affair on the Square”, coinciding with the opening night of the art fair, at the Courthouse Plaza, Belleville, Illinois, Friday, May 15, 2015.The preview party, a private event, is hosted for cash pre-purchase patrons, corporate sponsors, and VIP’s. Allsup repeated as the presenting sponsor of ART on the SQUARE. Major support also came from the City of Belleville, Grey Eagle Distributors, the Belleville News-Democrat (BND), fresh102.5, Y98, nineNetwork of Public Media, KMOX 1120, and The Tourism Bureau Southern Illinois.

Patty Gregory and her committee welcomed and officially sanctioned the opening of ART on the SQUARE on a humid, partly cloudy night. Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert thanked the organizers and sponsors for an event that has a “profoundly positive impact” on Belleville.

A highlight of Affair on the Square relates to the High School Sculpture in the City Program unveiling. This year, seven students from Belleville West High School, along with shareholders from Belleville based law firm Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd. and artist Marina Lee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, unveiled two original sculptures, or pillars entitled “Inside Out”, part of an interactive arts project in which students work collaboratively with an artist to design one-of-a-kind sculptures. MM&R, a long-time, recognized supporter of the arts in Belleville and surrounding communities, sponsored the program.

The two original pillars are constructed with a plywood base covered with spray foam and modeling compound to create the forms. Artist Marina Lee guided the students in the creative process that resulted in “Inside Out”, two original pillars designed by a core design team consisting of seven Belleville West art students.

Through an annual sponsorship from Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd., local students are given the opportunity to work one-on-one with a professional artist who guides them through the creative process of building an art sculpture. From conceptualization to designing and actually building the art piece, students completely are engaged in the process and benefit from an invaluable real-world, hands-on experience.

In its fifth consecutive year, High School Sculpture in the City comprises a program created by ART on the SQUARE and sponsored by Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd. that supports art education and helps beautify the City’s landscape with unique art sculptures.  Prior sculptures have been placed and designed by students from Belleville West, Belleville East, Althoff Catholic High School and Governor French. Now that the program has come full circle, the designing and building of the sculptures will rotate through the area high schools again and go into the City of Belleville’s parks. Following this year’s fair, Art on the Square will install permanently “Inside Out” in Bellevue Park.

Belleville’s ART on the SQUARE has received the #1 fine arts show ranking in the nation by Art Fair Source Book of Nashville, Tennessee four out of the last seven years (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) . and earned the runner-up position in 2009, 2013, and 2014. This prominent international arts publication considered over 600 fine arts fairs from the several thousand art shows that are held each year.

Begun in 2002, ART on the SQUARE has become a meteor in the vast sky of fine arts venues. In 2004, it was named the Best Small Town Art Fair in America and by 2006 it had climbed into the list of the top ten shows in America. In this rarefied atmosphere, it constitutes the youngest and smallest of the top tier shows. For the past several years, more than $1,000,000 of art has been purchased, and participating artists feel very pleased with their experiences. Several refer to Art on the Square as a “gem of a show where they do everything right.”

Featuring the original works of over 100 accomplished artists from around the world, fantastic musical and stage performances plus delicious local food and drink, ART on the SQUARE offered a three-day sensation for the eyes, ears and palate. Children especially enjoyed ART on the SQUARE’s extensive, interactive children’s art section where they created their own take-away art projects. This year provided something for everyone to love.

Founded by Patty Gregory, ART on the SQUARE is produced by over 600 dedicated volunteers. No one receives a salary, and all execute their appointed tasks with passion. Their mission remains clear. They are involved in a movement that brings a wide ranging cultural event to downtown Belleville. In the process, the community is enriched, pride is increased, and the physical and emotional landscape of the area has realized revitalization. Artists have commented that this art fair really motivates the town.