Herts Visual Arts Restarts In-person Events
After more than a year of on-line art events, Herts Visual Arts is celebrating the return of in-person opportunities in 2021. May sees Call for Artists launched for the next 3 exciting events in a calendar that again brings art into our county community.
Run by and for Hertfordshire artists, these are hugely popular with artists and visitors alike. This year, in-person exhibitions are backed by a virtual capability developed in 2020. From on-line flipbooks, to videos, live social media streams and on-line exhibitions, HVA has even more ways of bringing the work of its talented members to audiences in Hertfordshire and beyond.
First up is the Living Crafts Showcase at Hatfield House where visitors can watch artist and artisan-maker demonstrations, get to know members, perhaps purchase something special and find out more about artists and events. Over the 4 days of Living Crafts from 17-20 June, the Herts Visual Arts marquee will feature a different selection every day, including painting, jewellery, weaving, drawing, textiles and more.
The highly successful Big Art Fair is also back at Hitchin Town Hall from 16-18 July during the ever- popular Hitchin Festival. Open to the public from 10am-5.30pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday, the Big Art Fair is free to enter both days. The Preview Evening on Friday 16 July is just £2 on the door and features the popular Sponsors Choice Award presentations, plus the launch of 2021 Herts Open Studios. A number of exhibitors will be at the Fair during the weekend, offering unique opportunities to meet the artists themselves.
The Big Art Fair will feature more than 50 2D and 3D artists and artisans. Perfect for every taste, there’s an exciting and enticing array of paintings, mixed media, printing, photography, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, sculpture, glass and more awaiting visitors – all for sale. With options from greetings cards to larger statement pieces, original unique art alongside limited editions, there’s something for every pocket – a range of prices that won’t break the bank. This year HVA is also introducing event flipbooks and videos.
Herts Open Studios is back this year with another hybrid event that captures the best of both worlds. Artists will again be opening their studios, pop-ups and exhibitions to the public, free of charge with a special focus on local art trails and community collaborations that make it even easier to visit. This original Open Studios format is now backed by all the virtual capability developed last year.
Bringing back the themes introduced in 2020, the HVA website is an invitation for the whole of Hertfordshire (and beyond) to join its amazing celebration of the visual arts. They’re bringing artists, artisans and art- lovers together for inspiration, discovery and a rich opportunity bringing art into the heart of our communities across Hertfordshire. For in-person visitors, there are opportunities viewable by art form, opening days and map – and location-based options.
Powerful, simple and effective searches on the website allow viewers to explore trails via art media, theme, location, opening day and other personal searches. A special section includes live information, featuring up-to-the-minute news from around the county, collated from social media. Would you like a personal virtual appointment with one of the Open Studios Artists? Just get in touch via their Gallery page to arrange an appointment. Want to see working studios? There will be plenty of in-person options and also video studio tours to browse. Want to find out more about an artist? Again, biographies and meet-the-artist videos are a simple and informative way to start.
With the second issue of its quarterly magazine-style newsletter, HVA are also strengthening the bonds between its artists, sponsors, supporters and wider communities. It’s simple to subscribe to be kept up to date with everything related to Herts Visual Arts.
‘These annual events always create a huge buzz. In 2020 we developed an amazing Virtual Open Studios that proved very popular. This paved the way to complement our in-person events with fantastic on- line resources that will bring an extra dimension to our events,’ HVA Chair Hillary Taylor confirms. ‘We have such a talented and committed group of HVA members who create and repeat events like this to bring an amazing and even wider range of art to the forefront and benefit our members too.’