Schedule and Interview: What to Expect from this Weekend's Marion Arts Festival 2013

We spoke with Marion Arts Festival Director Deb Bailey last week about what people should expect from the 2013 edition of the event. Her answers are below, along with a full schedule of events.

You can learn more about the festival at the Marion Arts Festival website.

Marion Patch: Is there anything new about this festival that is different
compared to past years that people should know about?

Deb Bailey: We're fortunate to be able to consistently fold in artists that are new to our audience - this year, 29 of our 50 exhibitors have either never before been with us (19), or whom we have not seen in recent years past (14).  That's fun for everyone, to have the opportunity to discover new artists, while also welcoming back returning favorites.  Brand-new talent is coming to us from as far away as California, Washington, New York, and Georgia.

The success of our half marathon (added last year, as a companion to our 5K) has allowed us to establish an artist residency.  Staff with The Ceramics Center are working with high school students in both Marion and Linn-Mar to offer a full-circle experience with wood-fired pottery, by teaching in classrooms and then also giving students the opportunity to work with the Center's wood-fired kiln (the only open kiln in Eastern Iowa).  After having finished their classroom projects, students will help to load, fire-up and stoke the kiln (a two-day process), while also enjoying wood-fired pizza.  (True story - they make pizza in the kiln.) 

That's a privilege for us, the ability to give students access to a new creative process, one they might not otherwise enjoy.

Marion Patch: Is there anything else about the festival that you are excited for people to know that you would like to share?

Bailey: We're most excited about ... our audience.  They amaze.  Over the past several years, the MAF has been named as best one-day event in the country, best festival featuring 100 artists or fewer, the #2 artist-profitable show in the nation, and among the Top 25 events in the US.  Here, in Marion IA.  People come.  They may get their hands all clay-y, but not buy a thing; they may buy their hearts out, but never set foot in the depot to see what the kids are up to.  But everyone is curious, and artists love that about this festival.  The community makes it an experience for them  

The MAF is literally the smallest show in the country (seriously, at one day/50 artists), but our artist application ratio is equal to the nation's largest shows (7-1).  We should be unknown, but Marion is a place artists want to be.  As an event, we work to make an engaging, varied day for the community to enjoy ... but in the end, the most exciting aspect of thefestival are our attendees.  We're just trying to keep up with them.        

MAF 2013 Festival Schedule of Events

Friday, May 17th

5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Late registration, packet pickup and expo for the MAF half marathon and 5K run & fun walk Depot, City Square Park

Saturday, May 18th

6 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.
Registration and packet pickup for the MAF half marathon and 5K run & fun walk Depot, City Square Park

7:30 a.m.
Half marathon and 5K start

9 a.m.

Festival opens to the public
Empty Bowls sale!
Art in the Depot with The Ceramics Center!
Introduction to Emerging Artists!
Art demonstrations!
Red Curtain Photo Booth!
ALL DAY!

10 a.m.

Half marathon & 5K awards ceremony

Noon

Artist "Best in Show" winners announced
"Best in Food" award presented

1 p.m.

Empty Bowls sale!
Art in the Depot with The Ceramics Center!
Introduction to Emerging Artists!
Art demonstrations!
Red Curtain Photo Booth!
ALL DAY!

1 to 2 p.m.

2013 posters for sale
Signed by 2013 designer Cindy Motsinger
Headquarters table

5 p.m.

Festival closes