For 45 years, An Occasion for the Arts has been growing, evolving and continuing to achieve what it claims to be: Williamsburg’s premier art and music festival.
In 1969, AOFTA began as an all-volunteer nonprofit organization in collaboration with the City of Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary. In this sense, AOFTA has continued exactly as it began. But each year donors and volunteers — including an all-volunteer governing board — help the event continue to grow and evolve. A significant change took place three years ago when the event shifted from a Sunday-only showcase to a two-day event.
Attendees can now enjoy the various artworks on display for purchase from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. over two days. Alongside the artworks are stages for performing arts, as well as vendors selling food and drinks — including wine and beer.
The event is concentrated in the Merchants Square area, and this year has expanded from Duke of Gloucester Street to North Boundary Street and Prince George Street with 170 juried artists in the show. AOFTA chooses artists to display from a pool of applicants and awards best in show to artists in each category of art media. This year’s 170 artists are spread across photography, painting, watercolor, drawing, jewelry, ceramics and mixed media.
While AOFTA is held in the City of Williamsburg, artists from across the globe are welcomed to apply.
“An Occasion attracts artists from Maine to Florida plus local artists,” said AOFTA’s President of the Board Jane Medlin-Burton.
These artists serve as a draw for what Medlin-Burton said are more than 35,000 visitors. The people who are drawn to the event include those who appreciate fine art, but there is also a strong focus on attracting and supporting youth.
“I think every year there are changes. This year … some of the focus has been on some of the youth art events,” said Bob Harris, AOFTA board member and senior vice president of tourism for the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance.
The Williamsburg Community Building will be transformed into AOFTA’s youth area, complete with its own stage and tents.
The stage in front of the community building, which is one of three, is named City Square Stage for AOFTA and it will feature performers who are youth or are performing for youth. Over the two-day event, 17 performers are scheduled for the City Square Stage.
Inside the community building will be a youth art show with more than 800 pieces of art from 30 participating schools.
Medlin-Burton said AOFTA’s focus is not only to put on an art show, but to also increase youth involvement in the arts.
“The schools are really, really excited; they’re so happy to be part of this,” Medlin-Burton said. “I would like to see a continued focus on art activities and the encouragement of the youth education programs, both art and music … so that the youth can be encouraged to become part of the arts population.”
Outside of the actual AOFTA art event, the organization awarded $13,000 in arts mini-grants to 17 schools for special art and music programs and to 10 schools for art program supplements.
Included in the grants were $605 to James River Elementary School’s art teacher Kim Mazzelli. Her students made bowls for the Hampton Roads Empty Bowls project and the grant afforded the ability for Mazzelli to purchase additional clay and glaze.
Norge Elementary School music teacher Annette Turner received $770 to buy new instruments for the benefit of more than 500 students.
“Over the years, this event has grown from being an art show to being a high-caliber art show but to include the youth art, youth music and to making it more of a community-wide celebration,” Medlin-Burton said.
Exhibiting the concept of a community-wide celebration is the growing Williamsburg-area Arts Month, formed out of a need to increase tourism to the Historic Triangle in a time when tourist activity begins to lull — September to October, when children are returning to school.
“An Occasion for the Arts is the anchor event for arts month,” Medlin-Burton said. “If Williamsburg is an arts destination, this art show is a destination event for artists, and musicians and folks to come in and enjoy Williamsburg for the arts.”
AOFTA is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The event will be held rain or shine. For more information, visit AOFTA’s website.
