Arts Council Planning Spring Festival

The Arts Council of Pickens County is beginning preparations for a Spring Arts Festival.

They hope to hold the festival in the amphitheater in Old Market Square on May 18.

“The weekend before that is Mother's Day, the weekend after that is Memorial Day,” said Suzanne Goodman with the Arts Council. “That puts us right in the middle of those two holiday weekends.”

In October, the council produced the Fall for the Arts Festival in downtown Easley, held in conjunction with the Easley Farmers Market.

“We had about 10 or 15 artists and they had about 10 farmers for the day, plus all of our performers, plus we had demonstrating artists, we had entries from the art contests with the schools displayed,” Goodman said. “It was a win-win for everybody involved.”

The group wants future festival to also help bring people to the farmers market during its season.

“The first Saturday of the month they invite people with art,” said Vicki Ciplickas with The Starving Artist Cafe. They try to get artisans down there.”

Festivals will bring more foot traffic to the area, organizers agree.

“Downtown needs that tremendously,” said Ciplickas.

Organizers hope to involve a variety of artists and performers in the festival, including Clemson University and Southern Wesleyan University music students.

They also hope to bring in living artists for the spring festival, as they did for the Fall for the Arts festival.

“The living artists were sponsored by a business,” Goodman said. “A business would pay to have their name above the living artists' booth. That was someone who would demonstrate their craft throughout the day.

Woodworker Ed Morgano drew a lot of attention with his lathe, which he set up at the farmers market, giving attendees a firsthand look at his craft.

“You got to see how intricate it is,” Goodman said.

“Dale Stone did a point painting,” Ciplickas said.

Bill Lester suggested the group look into finding a blacksmith who could demonstrate their work.

“Then it becomes more educational,” Ciplickas said. “A jewelry maker or someone who does something with glass.

“Something you don't see every day,” Goodman said. “Something that would be a draw.”

“Those are interesting things to come and see, instead of just walking through a festival and spending money,” Ciplickas said.

Members do want their events and the group as a whole to have an educational aspect.

They hope the Arts Council will grow large enough to hold events monthly, if not more often.

“You have to start somewhere,” Goodman said.

Arts Council dues are $60 a year. During Monday's meeting, members voted to implement a student discount. Students will pay $30 a year.

The group definitely wants students to be involved.

“I think they'll come up with some pretty good ideas,” Ciplickas said. “It'll bring good input.”

They would also like to involve area art teachers in the community.

The Arts Council's next meeting is slated for February 11 at 7:30pm at The Starving Artist Cafe.

Keep up with the council on Facebook.