The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a Midwest tradition that draws close to half a million attendees over three days in July. The largest juried art fair in the nation, the Ann Arbor Art Fair features nearly 1,000 artists and a footprint spanning 30 city blocks in downtown Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is comprised of three independently juried, nonprofit art fairs that run consecutively: Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original; Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair; and Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair.
HURON HIGH SCHOOL
2727 FULLER ROAD
Free Parking
Round trip $5.00
Kids 5 and under ride free
Shuttle stops: Fletcher and Washington streets; South University and Forest streets (see Map)
BRIARWOOD MALL
100 BRIARWOOD CIRCLE (BEHIND SEARS)
Free Parking
Round trip $5.00
Kids 5 and under ride free
Shuttle stops: Main Street at William Street; State Street near South University Street (see Map)
Buses return to both parking locations from either shuttle bus stops
Chalk the Walk is presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union, featuring Ann Arbor’s own world-renown Artist David Zinn. Recognized globally for his clever and improvised chalk street art, Zinn will be creating his original temporary chalk work live during the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair event.
Sidewalk chalk will be available so that fairgoers can join in on the creativity and add their own mark on this year’s Ann Arbor Art Fair.
ZINN HOURS: Thurday & Saturday 1-3PM (Friday if rains on Thursday/Saturday)
LOCATION: Near the corner of Liberty and Fifth Ave. in front of the Post office.
WE BEAR[US]: International debut at Ann Arbor Art Fair of unique UK and US prison art exhibit.
In the depths of the covid pandemic lockdown, 31 people isolated in prisons in the UK and US produced extraordinary artworks exploring personal experiences of incarceration. Artist Faye Claridge sent each participant a letter inviting creative responses to the Warwickshire symbol of the chained bear. She paired two folk art paintings from the two countries*, showing different treatment of captive bears. These, as metaphors, provided inspiration for the remarkable artworks presented in We Bear.
The We Bear artworks were made in the most difficult of circumstances, in the middle of a global pandemic, and communicate sincerely a range of experiences of being incarcerated.
They were created for a one-off exhibition in the UK, with Coventry Biennial, and attracted a staggering 52,068 visitors. Engagement from audiences and everyone involved has been astonishing, participants said they grew from the professional feedback and personal development in the opportunity and the results they produced are breath-taking.
In response, Arts Council England has extended project support, allowing We Bear to travel to the US and be showcased at the hugely popular Ann Arbor Art Fair.
The Prison Creative Arts Project, based at Michigan University, has been a partner in the project from the start and is now collaborating as co-curator for the Art Fair exhibit. Its team will also be running workshops and events within the fair program, for visitors to find inspiration and take part, thanks to support from The Guild of Artists and Artisans.
Join them, Thursday - Saturday, to experience the entire collection and leave your mark in the ongoing collaborative public art installation at the exhibit’s activity tent. Don’t miss their engaging live events just down the street on Thursday and Friday as they present further programming on the Stage on Main (corner of Main and William in the Palio parking lot).
*The two folk art paintings inspiring participants’ responses are Man Feeding A Bear An Ear of Corn (1840, American Folk Art Museum, New York) and Bear Baiting (1830s, Compton Verney Art gallery & Park, Warwickshire).
