Celebrate Art in Uptown

By: Aaron Gyllenhaal

The stroke of a brush as it hits a canvas, the click of a camera taking a picture, the dull

whirring of the pottery wheel as it spins, these are all sounds heard by artists all over the world

every day. Their life experiences are expressed through the art they meticulously create. The

beauty in their pieces of work is profound and the stories behind all of them are unique. Left

underappreciated by some, it is essential that these artists be given the space needed for them to

display their work.

Presented by the McLean County Arts Center and the Town of Normal, the Sugar Creek

Arts Festival will be taking place in Uptown Normal on July 14-15, 2018. On July 14, the

festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on July 15, it will go from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The

Sugar Creek Arts Festival allows 130 different artists from all around the country to display and

sell their work. The artwork includes ceramics, fiber, glass, graphics, painting, photography,

jewelry, woodworking, sculptures and more. There will also be live music played throughout the

festival.

“Last year, I bought five different pieces from three different vendors at the Sugar Creek

Arts Festival. The three paintings are still hanging up in my house and the two vases I bought

constantly have flowers in them. I cannot wait to see what I find at the festival this year,” said

festivalgoer Allison Richards.

Applications for this event are due on April 15, 2018. Applicants are asked to submit

three pictures that they believe best represent their work. These pictures, along with the

completed application and application fee are due at the McLean County Arts Center by April

15. Applicants are notified if their application has been accepted by April 22.
 “My main hobby is painting. After a long day at work, nothing is more therapeutic than

picking up my paintbrush and losing myself in creative thought. Due to encouragement from my

friends, I entered this festival three years ago and I have been a part ever since. This year, I am

going to sell some pottery I made in my pottery class,” said artist Tori Jackson.

For more information about the Sugar Creek Arts Festival or the McLean County Arts

Center, visit http://www.mcac.wildapricot.org/ or call 309-829-0011.

 Art Blooms in the Brown Ballroom

By: Aaron Gyllenhaal

Art is the freedom to convey emotions. Art provides an outlet to turn feelings, sometimes

positive and sometimes negative, into beautiful, eye-catching pieces that can be appreciated by

other people. Artists are able to express themselves in unique and unusual ways, so their talents

must be appreciated and encouraged. One way to do this is through creating events for artists to

showcase their abilities.

The Spring Bloom Fine Arts Festival will be taking place on March 17, 2018 in the

Brown Ballroom in the Bone Student Center at Illinois State University. This festival is hosted

by the McLean County Arts Center and has space for 70 different artists from around the nation.

The different types of artwork that will be displayed during the festival are ceramics, fiber, glass,

graphics, painting, photography, jewelry, woodworking, sculptures and more. Live music will

also be played throughout the festival.

“I spend a month each summer travelling around the country going to art festivals. I love

looking at how creative the human mind can be. One of my favorite festivals to go to is the

Spring Bloom Fine Arts Festival because of the atmosphere and the quality of the art there.

Everyone is so dedicated to their craft, and it is extremely obvious,” said college professor Kim

Larkins.

Applicants for the Spring Bloom Fine Arts Festival need to send in three pictures that

they believe to best represent their work. These pictures can be submitted through the McLean

County Arts Center website http://www.mcac.wildapricot.org. In addition, applicants must fill

out an application and pay a fee of $25 by January 14, 2018. Once the artists are selected, they
must pay a $160 fee for their booth. This fee includes a free dinner on the night of setup for the

festival, and a free breakfast and lunch the day of the festival.

For more information about the Spring Bloom Fine Arts Festival or the McLean County

Arts Center, visit http://www.mcac.wildapricot.org/ or call 309-829-0011.

Use: July 1-15, 2018

Time: 30 seconds

Organization: McLean County Arts Center

Title: Celebrate Art in Uptown

THE MCLEAN COUNTY ARTS CENTER WILL BE HOSTING THE SUGAR CREEK ARTS

FESTIVAL IN UPTOWN NORMAL ON JULY 14 FROM 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. AND JULY 15

FROM 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

THIS FESTIVAL WILL FEATURE ART FROM 130 DIFFERENT VENDORS INCLUDING

CERAMICS, FIBER, GLASS, GRAPHICS, PAINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY, JEWELRY,

WOODWORKING, SCULPTURES AND MORE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MCLEAN COUNTY ARTS CENTER OR THE

SUGAR CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL, VISIT MCAC.ORG OR CALL 309-829-0011.

Use: March 1-17, 2018

Time: 30 seconds

Organization: McLean County Arts Center

Title: Art Blooms in the Brown Ballroom

THE MCLEAN COUNTY ARTS CENTER WILL BE PUTTING ON THE SPRING BLOOM

FINE ARTS FESTIVAL ON MARCH 17, 2018. IT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE BROWN

BALLROOM, LOCATED IN THE BONE STUDENT CENTER AT ILLINOIS STATE

UNIVERSITY.

THIS FESTIVAL FEATURES ART FROM 70 DIFFERENT ARTISTS INCLUDING

CERAMICS, GLASS, PAINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY, JEWELRY, WOODWORKING AND

MORE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MCLEAN COUNTY ARTS CENTER OR THE

SPRING BLOOM FINE ARTS FESTIVAL, VISIT MCAC.ORG OR CALL 309-829-0011.

March 1, 2018

Tiffani Jackson-Skinner
Vidette
500 W. Locust St., Normal, IL 61790
tfjack1@ilstu.edu
(309) 438-7685

Dear Tiffani:

I am contacting you in hopes of you writing an article promoting McLean County Arts Center’s
Spring Bloom Fine Arts Festival and Sugar Creek Arts Festival. On March 17, 2018, the Spring
Bloom Fine Arts Festival will be taking place in the Brown Ballroom, which is located in Illinois
State University’s Bone Student Center. The Sugar Creek Arts Festival will be taking place from
July 14-15, 2018 in Uptown Normal. These events feature different types of art such as ceramics,
fiber, glass, graphics, painting, photography, jewelry, woodworking, sculptures and more.

To aid in the writing process, I am including a few potential angles you could take in writing
your article.

Support Local Artists: While there are some artists from around the country at these festivals,
the majority of the vendors come from central Illinois. It is important that members of the
Bloomington-Normal community support and help foster the talents of local artists to encourage
growth in the community.

Buy Beautiful Art Pieces: The vendors at these festivals go through a rigorous application
process, which results in all vendors at these events being extremely talented. Thus, any of this
art would look amazing in someone’s home.

Fun for the Family: If parents are looking for a safe, fun place to take their kids, then these
festivals would be the perfect outing. Children can learn how to appreciate creativity through
observing art and parents will be able to browse through the art themselves.

In the past, you have covered fine art displays and weekend activities around Bloomington-
Normal, so I hope you will continue this coverage with these festivals. If you have any questions
about the Spring Bloom Fine Arts Festival, Sugar Creek Arts Festival or the information I have
provided for you here, please contact me at the following phone number and email address.

Sincerely,

Aaron Gyllenhaal
McLean County Arts Center
123-456-7890
afgylle@ilstu.edu