press releases

S Montclair, NJ, November 6, 2007


Call for Artists to Exhibit at the 39th Annual Art in the Park in Montclair, NJ


New Jersey artisans and craftspeople mark your calendars. The 39th Annual Art in the Park is scheduled for May 2nd - May 4th 2008, and this year's venue promises to be the best yet. One of the northeast's premiere events for arts and crafts collectors, Art in the Park 2008 will take place at the Montclair Art Museum. Exhibit space is available both inside the Museum's impressive Leir Hall Atrium as well on the museum grounds where professionally lighted tents are to be supplied. Over 150 artist's work can be displayed. To see samples of the impressive works sold by last year's participants and to learn more about the 2008 event, go to www.montclaircoop.org/artinthepark. Online registration for 2008 is currently open and is available until midnight on January 14th, 2008 at www.juriedartservices.com. The registration fee is $35.

Since it began almost four decades ago, thousands of artists and craft professionals have sold work at the annual Art in the Park. Like the 57th Street show in Chicago, it is a highly anticipated event for the Montclair area and its surrounding communities. Revenues benefit progressive education at The Montclair Cooperative School, a small private nursery through eight grade institution that prides itself on its diverse community of learners, and its dedication to the arts.

In a nice bit of synergy, this year's Art in the Park runs concurrent with New Jersey's annual craft exhibit which will be exhibited in 2008 at the Montclair Art Museum. This prestigious display of New Jersey's most gifted artisans is always well attended, and will ensure a good spill over crowd for Art in the Park exhibitors.

Art in the Park's three day fair kicks off with a preview party Friday night featuring fine wine and foods from Montclair's many gourmet restaurants, and is followed by two additional days of great shopping, edibles and entertainment. Show hours are from 7pm - 9pm on Friday and from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Last year Art in the Park returned to its original roots as a juried event and this year that format will be repeated. The 2008 jurors are:

Teresa Blackburn. a Nashville trend spotter and professional stylist whose work can be seen on many national television shows including HGTV, TVFN and DIY

Patti Bleicher, owner of Gallery Loupe, a fine jewelry boutique located in Montclair which represents the work of over 30 formally trained jewelry makers

Lucy Commoner, a Senior Textile Conservator and Head of Conversation at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum and

Twig Johnson, an expert on Native American art and anthropology as well as an associate of the Montclair Art Museum for over 20 years and a judge at Santa Fe's annual Indian Market.

Event chairs for this year are professional consultant Johan Westenburg, organizer of the Modernism and Art 20 shows at the New York Armory, Susan DiMarco, a member of the Montclair Art Museum Board of Trustees, and Meg Siesfeld, who specializes in strategic management of large scale projects. Assisting them will be over one hundred members of the Montclair Cooperative School community who join together each year to make this event a success.

Montclair, New Jersey is known for its racial, cultural, and socio-economic diversity. Located just 12 miles west of Manhattan, the area attracts a large number of artists, journalists and media professionals. Celebrities like Yogi Berra, Steven Colbert, Bobbi Brown and Jonathan Alter make their homes here. Surrounding affluent communities such as South Orange, Short Hills, and Millburn all attend Art in the Park. The median family income for Montclair is $96, 252.00.

Contact Information

artinthepark@montclaircoop.org