Image courtesy of GFAF
This 2012 Labor Day weekend sees the 8th Annual Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival, when our internationally renowned Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts turns its campus into an arts village for three days.
The 2012 three-day free festival (Aug. 31 – Sep. 2) is a well attended outdoor family event that draws quality artists from around the country. Expect Appalachian music from the area, great food, and unique art pieces in a variety of media.
Kids Area
Best news for parents: children will not be bored at the festival. Even apart from the captivating art displays, there’s also a Kids Area with great activity programs for children, including painting and coloring, an arts & crafts tent, and yes, there will be face painting! It’s all free of charge and fascinating for kids.
The festival features 65 artists, and over 130 hours of craft demonstrations in media such as textiles, paper, wood, ceramics, metals, enamels, jewelry, fibers, baskets, glass and more. Participating exhibitors are chosen by jury for excellence, and the bar is set high for artists at this prestigious event, with $10,00 in awards at stake.
The Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival is located next to the Arrowmont Shop at Traffic Light #5, with fantastic scenery all around.
The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is the perfect setting for such a great arts festival. The school began a hundred years ago as one of the Appalachian settlement schools that preserved and taught our regional culture. Now it’s become an internationally renowned visual arts education center with a highly acclaimed faculty.
Arrowmont offers a variety of learning opportunities including weekend workshops, and the gallery is a lovely place to visit any time you’re in Gatlinburg.
Here’s a taste of the Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival 2012:
