Festival Activities > Booth Artisans – Arts at the Port – Entertainment – Food & Beverage – Spring Fest
Arts at the Port is the crown jewel of the Festival, showcasing regional contemporary fine art exhibitions. It is located at the far north end of the Festival, in the historic waterfront Port Transit Shed Event Center.
Arts at the Port kicks-off at the free Opening Event on Saturday, July 27 at 6:00 pm. Come be among the first to view this year’s exhibition and enjoy wine, music and nibbles. The exhibition will also be open July 29 – August 1 from 9-5 and during Festival hours August 2-4.
Art Awards
Arts at the Port presents up to $11,000 in awards. See the 2018 Award winners.
Three Exhibitions
Juried Art
This exhibition is selected by a prominent regional arts professional and includes bodies of work from 35 – 60 artists working in all mediums.
This years juror Joanna Sikes recently took over as Executive Director of the Museum of Northwest Art in LaConner. Sikes comes with a strong vested interest in the Pacific Northwest arts community. She worked closely with Dale Chihuly as Studio Manager, marketing/client relations and Director of Special Projects. In 2012 the Museum of Glass in Tacoma named her the Director of External Affairs.
The Allen Family Focus Gallery
The Allen Family Focus Gallery showcases the work of Northwest artists, invited by the Festival Curatorial Team. This years theme “Pattern & Structure”, will include the work of three diverse artists – Cathy Shoenberg (Anacortes), Jill Nordfors Clark (Seattle) and Charissa Brock (Portland).
Emerging Artists
This year’s Emerging Artist exhibition is an exciting new collaboration with Voices of the Children. It will feature an installation with artwork from students in Skagit County and young Syrian refugees. The installation focus around writing and visual art that explores issues facing young women between the ages of 13 – 16.