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The Coconut Grove Art Festival (CGAF), returning Feb. 18-20, is committed to artistic excellence and to remaining one of the top outdoor shows in the United States.
To this effort, and under the leadership of executive director Camille Marchese, with the support of CGAF president Monty Trainer and the board of directors, a new jury selection process has been implemented.
The body of jurists is comprised of renowned artists and art industry veterans from across the country, all of whom share a passion for art and the potential for expanding the prestige of South Florida’s most beloved festival.
“I want the discerning collector to understand this is a highly curated show,” Marchese said.
“While Miami is the greatest place in the world for this show, the reach, talent, and expression of this show goes far beyond our area.”
The new adjudication process is completely “blind.” In effect, judges neither know the name, location, ethnicity, nor race of any artist who submits, assuaging the concern that the festival is a showcase of regional talent. Submissions began in May 2022. Judges reviewed each submission and scored each one. These scores determine which artists will get an invitation to the festival.
By the end of the selection process, 285 artists spanning more than a dozen categories — mixed media 2D, mixed media 3D, clay, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, sculpture, wood, watercolor, and print-making — were invited to be a part of the 2023 festival.
As for the jurors, it was important to the board to assemble talent from across the country.
“We wanted to make sure we had the most critical eyes evaluating the submissions,” Marchese continued. “Being selected for a fine art festival is competitive and we’re proud to have the best talents and thinkers in the art world joining us in this process.”
The jury pool is made up of five participants from as far away as Oregon and New Hampshire. There was a bit of overlapping as several jurors were both artists and show directors. Each is a professional expert in his or her field and is a true believer in the mission of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival.
“In the end, our commitment is to produce the No. 1 art festival in the country. Our director is a true believer in the mission of the Coconut Grove Art Festival,” Trainer said.
“And being No. 1 means that we have a show based on artistic excellence, a show that is representative of diverse styles and techniques with a broad range of pricing with artists from around the world. There truly will be something for everyone.”
Spanning three days over Presidents’ Day weekend, the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival a premier art festival celebrating the fine arts with live performances and local flavors.
As one of the largest art festivals in the United States, thousands of people gather each year along Coconut Grove’s waterfront streets to view the works of nearly 285 internationally known and jury-selected artists across 15 visual categories.
Produced by the nonprofit, 501(c)(3), Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association, festival proceeds fund the Annual Scholarship Program and other education and outreach programs such as the New & Emerging Artists Program and the High School Mentoring Series. Year-round arts initiatives also include special exhibitions at the Mayfair in the Grove, Visiting Artists Week, and a partnership with the New World School of the Arts.
For more information, visit https://www.cgaf.com/.
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