Spring has arrived almost as quickly as our 4th annual ONE DAYTONA Art Festival. Gallery500, and ONE DAYTONA have been working diligently to prepare for another successful art festival! Take a quick look into the festival from a Gallerist's point of view, courtesy of Gallery500 consultant Annie Scull.
We kept our gallery doors open all weekend with live art demonstrations by gallery artists Fred Haase, Laurie Chase, Brandon Santiago and Nancy McElroy. However, if you strolled around the outdoor festival, you might recognize Gallery500 artists Brandon Stanley and Jen Kish at their booths, or Vig Mayol preparing to compete in Art Battle’s US National Championship. The weekend was full of art, music, murals, vendors, festivities, and friends.
Each art festival, Gallery500 commissions an artist to bring more art to ONE DAYTONA. This year we worked with Beth O’Connor to paint a scene inspired by the natural flora and fauna of Florida, complete with native birds such as the great blue heron, cardinal, and Florida Scrub Jay. You’ll even notice our state butterfly fluttering through the scene.
We worked with Volusia County Schools’ Visual Arts Programs and Art Haus to create an artistic environment for the whole family. Art Haus hosted a chalk art competition which decorated Legends Lane, and an Art Walk where students were invited to tour various businesses at ONE DAYTONA to view works created by VCS students. Director of VCS’ Visual Arts Program, Bryce Hammond, spoke to Gallery500 Director, Amber O’Neal, about the importance of community art engagements during a live Q&A session. In the discussion, also featuring Seabreeze High School Teacher and professional artist Christine Colby, the group considered the many ways artists can pursue their passions in their adult lives. Overall, the ONE DAYTONA Art Festival raised $12,000 to donate to Volusia County School’s Visual Arts Programs, and $4,500 to Art Haus, in support of our local arts programs.
Save the date for the 2024 ONE DAYTONA Art Festival and experience the fun for yourself, April 6thand 7th, 2024. We look forward to seeing you there!
