Coming Soon: City Arts' Art Walk Awards

March 29, 2010 at 9:00 AM | Joey Veltkamp

I couldn't be more excited to host the City Arts Best Of Art Walk Awards. If you like art, fun and cash (and I bet you do), come check this event out after every First Thursday in downtown Seattle.

There will be drink specials, a drawing contest (with a cash prize) and my favorite part — YOU will get to decide which piece of art will be named the "Best of" Art Walk. One artist will win $500 — no strings attached, along with a small profile in the next month's issue of City Arts. 

Funding for the arts is depressingly low right now, so it's fantastic that City Arts and Blue Moon beer have partnered to create this award. Hopefully it will help fund some future masterpieces. The award celebrates all of Seattle's art community, and while the judges won't be able to visit every gallery, studio, and coffeeshop in Pioneer Square, they are going to try their best.

For this inaugural event, Marisa C. Sánchez (assistant curator of modern and contemporary art at Seattle Art Museum) and artist Gretchen Bennett will be the esteemed guest judges. In the future, judges will rotate monthly and to keep it interesting, the event will mix it up between artists, critics, curators, collectors and more. 

I think it will be a really fun evening promoting art and community. I hope you'll join us!

 

Art Walk Awards after party at The Hideout. April 1, 8:00pm. Free. (21+)

Image: Joey Veltkamp in his home, surrounded by artwork made by himself and other local artists. Photographed by Mike Wilkes for the November issue of City Arts.

 

Stay tuned later this week for Joey's preview of First Thursday Art Walk on the CAB.