Three Rivers Arts Festival

June 4-13

artsfestival.net

When summer… Three Rivers Arts Festival

June 4-13

artsfestival.net

When summer comes to Pittsburgh, chaos follows suit. Kennywood days attract hordes of excited students, families battle one another for optimal firework viewing spots, and most importantly, the annual Three Rivers Arts Festival takes place in Downtown Pittsburgh. For 10 days in June the festival hosts everyone from painters and sculptors to photographers and filmmakers.

A division of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the arts festival will celebrate its 51st appearance this summer when it presents the work of some 500 artists in 100 different programs.

Pittsburghers might be more familiar with the two biggest traditions — a slew of Point State Park musical performances — headlined this year by Guster — and the Artists Market which will include the work of 300 artists across several mediums. But the festival has lately sought to expose more up-and-coming locals.

Roughly one-third of the 300 featured artists in the Artists Market are local artists, and many of the festival’s corresponding galleries throughout the city feature local artwork.

Accommodating this go-local effort is the Emerging Artist Scholarship, a competitive program intended to give Pittsburgh-based artists who have never participated in an outdoor show the opportunity to display their work to a wide audience.

Artists may submit material in 17 categories — ranging from ceramics to woodwork — and those who are selected receive tent and booth space in the Artists Market, as well as the guidance of a mentor.

Minette Vaccariello, who received the scholarship this year in the Wearable Fiber category for her work with Raymond Morin as part of Ray-Min Shoulderware, described participating in the festival as “a great feeling and a great opportunity.”

This is her first year as a participant, but Vaccariello said her familiarity with the festival comes from her and Morin’s friends — all of whom “only had good things to say” and “were able to get a lot of contacts and exposure” through their involvement.

“It’s a way to meet people that we wouldn’t typically meet at gallery shows,” she said. “We’ve been able to meet a lot of young people and other artists through being involved with it.”

Aimee Manion, who received an Emerging Artist Scholarship in 2008, as well as a Juror’s Merit Award the same year, felt similarly about the festival and her experience.

Now in her third year of festival involvement, Manion described the Emerging Artist Scholarship as enormously beneficial to young, unestablished artists.

“It’s expensive just to apply to shows when you’re starting out,” she said. “To get the free booth is a huge opportunity to get your career jumpstarted. You’re able to network with other artists, gallery owners and even the news media. I encourage every young artist to apply.”

According to Artists Market coordinator Sonja Sweterlitsch, festivals like the Three Rivers offer great exposure for Emerging Artists Scholars and regular artists alike.

“The festivals help foster new talent and make being an artist a full-time career,” she said.

As well as helping artists gain notoriety, festivals help artists financially support themselves with their art. Many artists featured at the festival make their livings from the art they sell by traveling from festival to festival throughout the year.

The Three Rivers Arts Festival is particularly appealing, as it charges the artists only a fee for the booth and charges no commission from their sales. Ten thousand dollars in additional prize money is also awarded throughout the course of the festival.

While the arts festival is a two-week event for Pittsburghers, the artists work toward it year round, starting with the application process.

Artists apply online and submit four pictures of their artwork to be judged by a series of jurors.

This year, of the 500 artists who applied, 300 were granted space at the festival.

Sweterlitsch said the jurors look for craftsmanship and quality when choosing artists. Applications go out in October, and the jurors begin their selections in February. By March, artists know whether they have a spot at the festival.

Vaccariello said she would have participated in the festival in previous years, but had missed the winter application deadline.

“It’s just not something that you’re thinking about in February,” she said, laughing.

As well as applying, artists must find the time to make enough products to sell by June.

“I’m mainly a gallery artist, so this is the only outdoor festival that I do,” Vaccariello said, “but I literally spend the entire year getting ready for it because I’ll only sell original paintings there and not prints.”