The Lincoln Arts Festival

September 25 & 26 @ SouthPointe Pavilions

Art can challenge or affirm your beliefs, bring beauty to your life, make you laugh, or cry... or mad. Arts Council members like that. They know that exercising the mind muscles of perception and discrimination are just as important as physical exercise. So when an opportunity like the Lincoln Arts Festival rolls around, they get excited about the new perspectives brought in by artists from all over the country.

Lincoln visual artists and art patrons are very lucky to be so well served by the local galleries, art centers and co-ops that do such an exceptional job. We've all bought art, and felt the excitement in the air on First Fridays that carries well into the month. The Lincoln Arts Festival extends the First Friday idea by gathering in one place a regionally diverse, discipline diverse group of artists and encouraging them to socialize, compare notes and techniques, and of course, sell their art.

This year is an especially exciting one with 61% of our artists coming from out of state. Sixteen states other than Nebraska are represented, including both coasts with artists from California and Florida. Looking west we find artists from Oregon, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Our neighborhood brings artists from South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Looking east shows us artists from Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri.

What makes the Lincoln Arts Festival a festival is that wonderful energy of artists from all over the country gathering to sell their work and share their gifts with us and each other. Make no mistake, this is an arts party of the first order, and you're invited. Artists from all over the nation selected by a rigorous jury process, and live music in the entertainment pavilion when you need a break- what's not to love?