White Night festival scheduled for Madison

Posted on Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Madison set to host first White Night festival in the states.

The Madison Area Arts Council ongoing Chautauqua Series continues with White Night, a free and open arts and culture festival celebrating community and bringing artists, live music, and opportunities to create great art to downtown Madison, South Dakota.

The festival is scheduled for Thursday, July 1, from 5 – 10 pm at The BrickHouse Community Arts Center, which is located at 106 SE 2nd St, and on a closed portion of SE 2nd St in front of the venue.

White Nights, or Nuits Blanches, began as a way to make use of the prolonged summer sun. Within the past 10 years, this movement has spread from St. Petersburg, to Berlin, Paris, and London.

Madison will now be home to the one of first White Night festivals in the United States, and it will be the first in name.

Chris Francis, President of the council said “Everyone from all walks of life is welcome to participate and enjoy the festival, from artists to arts lovers, from the whole of our great community and beyond!”

Artists, writers, musicians, and creative-types are especially encouraged to participate.

“We’re hoping that artists will come, work, share, and converse together with our community. The focus of the evening is to make great art happen,” said Francis.

Artists are not allowed to actively sell work during the festival, like other traditional art festivals. Rather, the focus of the evening is centered around creating and experiencing art.

“This is really just a great opportunity to connect and be part of something incredibly special,” Francis added.

Artists are encouraged to bring their supplies, with the request that their efforts remain safe and non-toxic for everyone. A plein air approach is suggested, and artists can bring reasonable shelters to work from within a designated area on the festival grounds.

The festival stage will feature several great bands including The Airplane Hanger Band, The ColtCockers, and Michael Hope, who have all volunteered to perform.

A special screen-printing demonstration from Harlequin Studios of Sioux Falls will also be one of the many attractions.

Several other opportunities to create art, especially for families, will be available during the festival.

The festival grounds will remain alcohol and tobacco free, as to promote a safe family-friendly environment.

Festival attendees are also encouraged to walk throughout downtown, shopping, eating, and discovering something new.

Businesses are encouraged to participate during the festival by offering White Night themed specials and extending their hours during the event.

“The festival will work best if we all participate and work together to make Madison vibrant and welcoming,” Francis commented.

The Chamber of Madison will sponsor a ribbon cutting, celebrating the opening of The BrickHouse Community Arts Center, which is scheduled at 5:00 pm, to officially kick the festival off.

Everyone is encouraged to leave their lights on as well, to help show the Madison area in a ‘different light’.

“This is an incredible opportunity to be part of history too, as together we will build what will surely become one of the premier White Night festivals on the global stage,” Francis added.

For more information on White Night, and the Madison Area Arts Council, visit their website at www.madisonareaartscouncil.org