ArtsFest
Montpelier will burst with art and creativity during its June 5-6 ArtsFest celebration, with many free events planned for both evenings throughout downtown. There will be broad variety of art for the whole family to enjoy-- including theater, visual arts, live music, a cooking class, guided tours, dance, author talks, and much more. Kick off spring at this exciting event where Central Vermont’s seasoned and emerging artists will display their talents while the capital city’s shops and restaurants showcase their imaginative approaches.
Schedule of Events
Way to Go! Awards & Green Mobility Party
10am-2 pm, State House Lawn
Experience how Vermont’s top performing schools, innovative businesses in solar and electric (EV) transportation, and non-profits are advancing low cost pop-up projects for safe streets, moving to electric bikes and buses, and choosing more active transportation.
Art at the Kent Popup & Presentation
12-1:30 pm, The Garage Cultural Center, 58 State Street
The newly-refurbished Garage Cultural Center features a “taste” of what Art at the Kent, a State-owned historic site, offers: contemporary art exhibitions within the walls of an 1837 tavern in rural Calais. David Schutz and Nel Emlen present. Lunch offered for a modest fee beginning at noon.
Creativity Thrives Downtown Reception
5-9 pm, Langdon Street, supported by National Life Group
Musical performances by Bella and the Notables, Chaque Fois, Dana and Sue Robinson, and Two Cents in the Till. Food and drink by Langdon Street Tavern. Free snacks, with additional food available for purchase. Cash bar. Conference attendees will receive one drink ticket. Check out the PinBox 3000 Cardboard Pinball Artcade with Ben t. Matchstick, take part in the Colors of Montpelier Community Mural Project, and enjoy fun for all ages!
- 5-6 pm: Dana and Sue Robinson are an Americana-roots and folk duo who combine original songwriting with fiddle tunes, banjo grooves, elegant melodies, and rich harmony singing.
- 6-7 pm: Bella and the Notables play classic jazz standards with panache and style.
- 7-8 pm: Two Cents in the Till: bluegrass quartet.
- 8-9 pm: Chaque Fois! performs Cajun music from Southwest Louisiana.
Montpelier Alive’s Art Walk
4-9 pm, presented by Magic Hat
Art Walk showcases works of Central Vermont artists. Start at any venue and stop by as many participating venues as you like. Click here for information on venues. Many venues will offer refreshments and have the artist in attendance.
Big Heavy World Exhibition Reception
4-6 pm, Vermont History Museum, 109 State Street
Explore how music contributes to Vermont’s character and uniqueness, through the collections of Big Heavy World, curated by James Lockridge. Music and refreshments throughout the evening, and a curator’s talk led by James Lockridge at 5 pm in the exhibition.
Live Music with the Aristocratic Peasants
4-8 pm, Salaam Boutique, 50 State Street
Featured artist Michael Jermyn will play with his band the Aristocratic Peasants, performing songs from his Tammie award-winning record.
Performance by Modern Times Theater
5-6 pm, City Hall Plaza, 39 Main Street
Modern Times Theater delights crowds with a fresh take on the entertainment styles of the past, including novelty music, handmade puppetry, and classic comedy. Husband and wife performers Justin Lander and Rose Friedman present entertainment for the whole family.
Meet and Greet with Author & Illustrator David Macaulay
5-7 pm, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street
David Macaulay is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books have sold millions of copies in the United States alone. View illustrations and hear from the Caldecott Medal award-winner best known for “The Way Things Work.”
Cooking Cockroach: A Guide to Modern Poverty
5-7 pm, The Garage Cultural Center, 58 State Street
Meet author Joey Truman and watch him transform items from the Montpelier Food Pantry into a tasty meal. Wine and snacks provided. Donations for the Food Pantry graciously appreciated.
Poetry & Art
5-6 pm, City Center, 89 Main Street
PoemCity poetry readings to accompany visual art. Jack Sabon, featured artist in La Brioche, will have painted drums and other art available.
BLUEPRINTS
5-6 pm, Montpelier High School, 5 High School Drive
Sophomores at Montpelier High School present a special event integrating original visual art, music, poetry and interviews with community members inspired by the question: How can exploring the past and imagining the future guide our present journey from apathy to empathy?
Artist Talk: The Magic of Seeing Inside and Outside the Frame
6 pm, T.W. Wood Gallery, 46 Barre Street
Renowned local artist Michael Strauss presents an artist talk exploring landscape painting.
Walking tour of Vermont College of Fine Arts
6 pm, Alumni Hall
VCFA is a global community of artists continuously redefining what it means to be an arts college. Tour the campus and learn the history of the only college devoted exclusively to graduate fine arts education. Meet in front of Alumni Hall.
Cantastoria Extravaganza by Bread and Puppet
6:30-7 pm, City Hall Plaza, 39 Main Street
Bread & Puppet Theater is an internationally celebrated company that champions a visually rich, street-theater brand of performance art filled with music, dance and slapstick. “Cantastoria” refers to the technique of picture-story recitation, with spoken or sung narration accompanied by painted banners.
Walking tour of the Center for Arts and Learning
6:45 pm, 46 Barre Street
The Center for Arts and Learning offers space where artists, musicians, writers, and small nonprofits can practice, create, and serve the community. Learn more about the formation and future of this unique creative hub with Executive Director Alice Dodge. Meet in front of the building.
DIORAMA: Room to Play
7:15 pm, Center for Arts and Learning, 46 Barre Street, Room 200
Three women, three mothers, three humans form a unique ensemble in an unlikely space. Enter the DIORAMA and join us for an exciting evening of dance and music. A first-time collaboration with horn soloist Lydia Lowery Busler, flutist Lisa Carlson, and dancer Alana Rancourt Phinney.
Lost Nation Theater presents ‘Complete History of Comedy (Abridged!)’
7:30-9 pm, City Hall Performing Arts Center, 39 Main Street
If you loved “Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged,” you’ll love this show by the Reduced Shakespeare Company! Explore what makes people laugh from ancient times ‘til now! Skits, standup, slapstick, one-liners, cream pies, double entendres, in-jokes, jibes, and more! Tickets available at the door. General admission is $25.
ArtsFest is supported by:
The festival is organized by Montpelier Alive and is timed to overlap with the Downtown Conference and CCX. ArtsFest is designed to exhibit the vast and diverse artistic talent in Central Vermont and a chance for seasoned and emerging artists to showcase their talents. In addition to the hundreds of conference goers, ArtsFest will draw visitors from central Vermont and beyond.
What is CCX? Creative Communities Exchange (CCX), a biennial event of the New England Foundation for the Arts, is a two-day training and professional development convening that supports creative entrepreneurs, city planners, small businesses, and the arts sector to apply successful creative economy strategies in their communities. CCX professional development workshops are for New England leaders who are engaged in creative economy and creative placemaking projects that leverage their local creative sector for the revitalization and growth of their broader community. The CCX is a two-day conference that brings 250-300 economic development, city planners, community development, downtown revitalization, arts administrators, and arts leaders from all over New England and beyond to the event. Previous keynote speakers include Jane Chu, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (2015) and Jonathan Katz, President of the Nationals Assembly of State Art Agencies. CCX is taking place on Thursday and Friday June 6-7, 2019 in downtown Montpelier, VT, and Montpelier Alive is serving as the local host.
CCX Presenting Sponsor
CCX Supporting Sponsors
CCX In-Kind Sponsors
What is the Vermont Historic Preservation and Downtown Conference? The goal of the Historic Preservation and Downtown Conference (Downtown Conference) is to provide training and workshops to educate and raise statewide awareness of policies and programs and tools that help historic preservationists, developers, state and local policy makers, planners, community development professionals, architects and builders to keep Vermont downtowns vibrant places to live, work and play. The conference will be held in Montpelier on June 5, 2019 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the State of Vermont’s Downtown Program.
Questions? Contact Dan Groberg, Executive Director of Montpelier Alive, at director@montpelieralive.org or 802-223-9604.