Blog

May 19

Marion, Iowa

Uptown City Square Park

50 Artists

Sat.: 9am-5pm

Deadline: January 16

• One Day.

• Fifty Artists.

• Eighteen Thousand Admirers.

• An Alarmingly Small City Block.

Greetings from the 20th Annual Marion Arts Festival, in Marion, Iowa (adjacent to Cedar Rapids, in Eastern Iowa). Consistently ranked among the top tier of juried art events nationwide, the MAF presents 50 artists, offering both fine art and fine craft to an audience of 18,000. There areno bands, there is no beer - the MAF is about the art.

Marion is a "vintage uptown" type of community, and a part of the Cedar Rapids metro area. Our show is intimate and purposeful, with the mission to be an event through which you will thrive. (Here, we're obligated to insert that we're volunteer-driven, hokey and maybe more than a little mom-and-pop ... in good ways, mostly.)

The MAF is one of the most artist-profitable festivals nationwide! The 2011 Art Fair SourceBookranks the MAF as:

#1 show in the country among events featuring 100 artists  

# 51 overall in fine art

# 59 overall in fine craft

Further, in their 2012 preview, AFSB names the Marion ArtsFestival as the best one-day show nationwide, and reports an artist's return on investment as over $12 for every $1 spent. Our exhibitors enjoy a sincere welcome and an easy-to-do show. Visit our website to see the range and quality of our 19th annual lineup - you'll find fifty of your most respected artist pals.

For a more complete sense of our deep-seeded geekery, visit our website ( www.marionartsfestival.com) to view our 2012 artist information video.

ARTIST AMENITIES

- Friday check-in and set-up

- Friday evening artists' party

- Convenient free parking for artists

- 24-hour security

- Booth sitters and energetic volunteers

- Continental breakfast; water & snacks all day

- Separate indoor restrooms

- Cash awards

- Extensive event marketing, including billboards, websites, newspapers, TV, and radio (including statewide venues)

We invite artist entries through ZAPPlication ( www.zapplication.org). You have our best wishes as you plan your spring and summer season!

For further information, email director Deb Bailey:  mafdirector@marioncc.org