Will The Art Center Highland Park’s Recycled Event Survive COVID-

Will The Art Center Highland Park’s Recycled Event Survive COVID-19?

The Art Center Highland Park traditionally hosts three special events per year: The Annual Spring Benefit, The Festival of Fine Arts, and The Recycled Art Sale and Benefit. After having been shut down to the public since March 15 for COVID-19 health and safety concerns people have been calling TACHP and asking ‘Will you still have Recycled’?

“At this point, the answer is YES,” says Jackie Chilow, Director of Events for TACHP. “The event is in October and we’re planning on it – even though we realize we may need to make some adjustments. There’s no way we want to cancel or postpone. This is a BIG favorite with people coming from all over to participate and find really great art at amazing prices!”

It’s been a difficult time for organizations like TACHP due to COVID-19 shutdowns. Invitations to their annual benefit were at the printers, ready to be run, when one of the co-chairs realized that no matter what they hoped would happen, there would be a shutdown. Rather than postpone or cancel, the team chose to stage the benefit as a virtual event with videos, a silent auction, special guests and a virtual gallery exhibit. The exhibit included the world premiere of Visualizing in a New Light, a virtual work created by new media artist Ellen Sandor. “Our event was a huge success”, says Chilow, “And we’re getting calls from other not for profits asking us for tips on how to run a successful virtual event.” But TACHP was not as successful with saving their end of June Festival of Fine Arts.

“We waited until the last moment to announce the cancelation,” says James M. Lynch, TACHP Executive Director. “Artists come from all over the country and plan out their entire summers. When other events started canceling a lot of the artists decided not to go on the circuit at all. On top of that, to think that by June we’d be able to have 5-7,000 people safely walk through our festival just seemed unlikely.” At the time of this writing it is clear they made the right choice.

“The message we need to get out now,” adds Chilow, “is that we are accepting donations of art, sculpture and jewelry for the Recycled sale and benefit. It seems as if people have been holding back with dropping things off because of the isolation policies and we want them to know that we can arrange contactless drop offs or schedule a minimal contact pick up at their homes”.

“The shutdown has hurt us in many ways,” says Lynch, “But we’ve managed to move arts education online, are into our second online exhibit, and participation is high. We’re doing all the right things, but the success of Recycled really depends on our community donations and we’re not where we were last year.”

TACHP accepts donations at their front door, 1957 Sheridan, Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 4PM. After dropping off items the art center requests people to attach a cell phone picture of the donated items to info@theartcenterhp.org, and they will reply with a tax donation letter. For multiple, heavy or items that require help dropping off, arrangements can be made by calling 847-432-1888 in advance. Home pick-ups can be scheduled when appropriate: just email a picture of the items to be donated to info@theartcenterhp.org.

Dates for the Recycled Art Sale and Benefit are for an opening night on Friday, October 16th, through Monday, October 26. For more information, to volunteer, or to find out other ways to get involved, email or call Jackie Chilow, 847-432-1888, or jchilow@theartcenterhp.org.