Galleries start
'Ambassadors'
BLOOMINGTON — In the last year plus, on site art sales have been sorely diminished. Art shows have been cancelled, galleries closed or operating with shortened hours, visitors dwindling due to health concerns. Artists everywhere have been hungry for fellowship and sales, having to turn to online formats for both. A newly developed Art Ambassador effort seeks to learn from these online experiences and use this same technology, enlisting help of community members, to bring about the recovery of local art.
As part of the healing process, galleries and independent local artists have been meeting monthly over the summer and seeking ways to support one another and to re-build. One result is the establishment of a Facebook group "Art Scene in McLean County" where art organizations, galleries, and individual artists can post events and creations. This group is open to public viewing.
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Now putting their collective creative heads together again, Downtown Bloomington artists conceived "Art Ambassadors." In this easy, self-directed movement art lovers can help to re-build in person art experiences with the use of social media. Art Ambassadors will get it's official kick off at the October 1st First Friday event from 5-8 PM in Downtown Bloomington. Using the theme "Art Scene/Seen in Downtown Bloomington" visitors will be encouraged to take lots of pictures of themselves enjoying local art. They can then be posted widely to Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok etc with the inclusion of the special hashtag #artscenedowntownblm. The downtown art community, consists of approximately 100 artists, all hoping for a great turn out and many, many Art Ambassadors who will help to ensure the success of our rich art community. It is the hope of those involved in planning that Art Ambassadors will be an movement that grows and is sustained well beyond this event.
Hours of galleries represented by ambassadors are:
•Three Square Studio – By Chance or Appointment (echoed by all galleries)
•Eaton Gallery and Studio – Saturdays 10-2, First Fridays
•Main Gallery 404 – 12-5 Thursdays and Fridays, 10-2 Saturdays, First Fridays and special events
•Joann Goetzinger Gallery and Studio – 9-4 Saturdays, First Fridays
•The Hangar Arts Company-10-8 Wednesday thru Saturday, Tuesday PM Life Drawing
•Inside Out Accessible Art – 10-6 Wednesday through Friday, 10-2 Saturdays, First Fridays