ITHACA, N.Y. — On Friday the Ithaca Farmers Market will turn into a showcase for local paintings, fine furniture, sculptures, and more of Ithaca’s finest art.
“I want people to come and enjoy the art and talk to the artists. This is a great opportunity for artists to talk to the public and get valuable feedback for their work. Usually in a gallery you just see the work on a wall, but you don’t get to talk to anyone,” said Robin Schwartz, Program Director of the Community Arts Partnership, who has been organizing the Artist Market for 24 years.
The 28th annual Ithaca Artist Market will take place from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, July 27, at the Ithaca Farmers Market. In previous years the Artist Market was open from 2 to 8 p.m., but is now open earlier to accommodate people who want to come on their lunch hour.
People of all ages will be able to see and purchase a variety of different art including paintings, photographs, sculptures, jewelry, fine furniture, collage, woodcarving, altered books and more.
Schwartz said the East Hill Jazz Group will play throughout the event, and boat tours will be available as well. She added that there will be 88 booths set up at the Farmers Market for local art organizations, such as the Community Arts Partnership and the Hangar Theatre, while the other booths will be for food vendors and individual artists.
Admission is free, while the art will be on sale with prices ranging from $5 to $1,500. Food and beverages including philly cheesesteaks, burgers, pastries, craft beer and wine will also be available to purchase.
This year there were over 100 applicants but only 80 spots for artists, Schwartz said. She explained that the Community Arts Partnership favors Tompkins County artists to give local artists a chance to share their work with the community.
Schwartz added that the market’s waterfront location makes it an ideal place to showcase local art.
“The Farmers Market is perfect because it’s on the beautiful Cayuga Lake Inlet,” she said. “Places like the Commons don’t have the same setup since the market is shaded and people can come and enjoy themselves whether it’s rain or shine.”
For more information about this year’s Artist Market, visit artspartner.org.