Annual Autumn and Art fair moves online this weekend with 70 artists and live music
Wichita Festivals Inc. staff members kept an eye on art festivals nationwide this summer, thinking of how the pandemic would affect the plans for the 11th annual Autumn & Art.
“It’s been quite a process. Since March our staff has been working to determine what events we can do and how we can approach that,” Teri Mott, director of marketing and communication for Wichita Festivals, said.
The decision was made midsummer to translate this weekend’s festival, which was to have taken place at Bradley Fair, into an online event.
“As we watched other events in this area drop off the time frame, we knew it would be inevitable for us,” Mott said. “The good news is we felt like this particular event would translate beautifully online. It has so much to do with shopping, which people love to do online.”
From 6 p.m. to 9 .m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, virtual patrons can visit autumnandart.com and interact with any of 75 artists, as well as hear musicians that were scheduled to perform.
“Folks will be able to speak to them in a video chat, not unlike Zoom,” Mott said. “That’s something people like, and inspires them, online.”
Some artists will have a webcam set up in their studios, Mott said.
“There’s a good chance you’ll be able to observe the artists at work and talk to them while they’re working,” she said.
There is no charge, except to purchase artwork, Mott said.
The 75 artists, which includes juried and festival alumni artists, is slightly less than the 90-100 the festival has drawn in previous years, she said, but Mott said she feels a greater excitement level among those who are participating.
“Across the United States this has been a trend of outdoor art fairs having to make a decision not to have an art fair,” she said. “Many have not translated online, many have just decided to go ahead and cancel for this year and take up the reins next year. We really chose instead to go online, and we feel great about it. We understand from the artists who do these fairs that this is unusual this year.
“We decided to give it a shot,” Mott added. “We didn’t want to not do it. We’re going to try to evolve it and make it work, whatever it is.”
One indication that makes Mott optimistic is the Friday night patron party is sold out. A $100 “Patron Party in a Box” includes gourmet food from Bradley Fair restaurants, as well as adult and nonalcoholic beverages, and gifts include an Autumn & Art facemask, which is also available to the public.
After already shifting Wichita Riverfest to a virtual format this summer, Mott said she and the Wichita Festivals staff are learning to be flexible.
“The event we are embarking on is more amenable to an online format than some. It’s been kinda fun, actually,” she said. “We’re learning a lot here at Wichita Festivals in exploring new territories of reality. Virtual Riverfest – that was hard, we hadn’t done anything like that before, and it requires a lot of different things.
“I won’t say it’s been easy, but I think people will enjoy it,” Mott added.
AUTUMN & ART
When: 6-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Where: autumnandart.com
How much: Free, except for purchasing artwork
This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 5:01 AM.