Spring has not been cancelled

Shannon HerronFeature

Dogwood Arts cancelled its festival, music, chalk walk and art shows. But spring itself has not been cancelled.

The 2020 Dogwood Arts Festival has gone virtual. Originally scheduled for April 24-26, the public event had 109 artists and makers, juried in to participate. So, the virtual festival showcases those 109 artists from across the country, allowing visitors to easily browse and support the artists. There will also be a public vote component with cash prizes awarded: $500 for first place; $300 for second place; and $200 for third place. Voting is open through April 30 with winners announced on May 1.

Dogwood Trails are blooming now for those who want to drive through. Find trail maps here. Because of the pandemic, there will be no public tour buses or public facilities along the trails. Most of the public gardens are closed. Please observe the CDC guidelines on social distancing.

Show us your blooms. Whether or not you live on a trail, share your photos by tagging Dogwood Arts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Use the hashtags #dogwoodarts and #showusyourblooms when you post on social media. Or upload your photos directly to our website here.

Coloring page: Dogwood Arts will release a new coloring page each Friday. Click the photo or button to download a PDF and print at home. Illustration by Taylor Bogle, a junior in the graphic design program at UT.

Art in Public Places is a popular feature. The program, started in 2007 by Eddie Mannis and Bart Watkins, brings art outside, adding character and beauty to city streets and spaces – over 240 pieces since its launch. This year’s program was postponed by COVID-19, but two pieces (pictured here) were already installed.

We are anticipating the rest of the sculptures will be switched out at the beginning of May (barring no further mandates from the CDC/city of Knoxville). This year, the exhibition will include 22 pieces from artists working all across the country. Sculptures will be placed in Downtown Knoxville (Krutch Park & Country Music Park), at Zoo Knoxville, the UT Gardens, ORNL Federal Credit Union (Northshore & Oak Ridge Branches), McGhee Tyson Airport, and in Oak Ridge at the American Museum for Science & Energy and in Jackson Square.

Shannon Herron oversees marketing, communications and design services for the 18 annual events and programs of Dogwood Arts.

Truth #1 by Peter Dellert

Indigenous by Nathan Pierce

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *