October 6, 2023 |
Photo – Art Beat Logo – Courtesy Rawlins DDA
The 2023 Art Beat begins this afternoon in downtown Rawlins.
Artists from across the county will gather tonight and tomorrow for the 7th annual Art Beat. Originally a two-day event, the COVID outbreak of 2020 caused the city to cut the festivities down to a single Saturday. Rawlins DDA Main Street Executive Director Pam Thayer said this year’s Art Beat has plenty of activities to warrant a return to a two-day event.
Thayer said 18 artists will display their talents at 14 different locations around downtown Rawlins. The DDA Main Street Director said businesses are eager to support the yearly art festival.
Thayer encourages attendees to take pictures of themselves at the event. She said the three best pictures will earn their photographers $100 to spend at one of the participating businesses. Thayer said to post your best Art Beat selfie to your social media account with the hashtag WyoArtBeat.
Thayer said the pictures will be a snapshot of past Art Beat events.
The DDA Main Street Director said the two-day event was made possible thanks to generous sponsors.
This year’s event features painters, sculptors, dancers, leather workers, hair stylists, and a variety of other artists. Thayer said every type of art is welcome at Art Beat.
Another component of Art Beat 2023 is the Art Around Downtown banner project. Thayer said she is looking for artists to create banners to be hung around the city. Thayer said to visit the DDA Main Street office at 116 4th Street to enter your Rawlins-themed artwork into the banner project.
Thayer said she has 24 banners so far. She said Rawlins has 110 light poles. Thayer said she would like to have a banner on every pole and make a game out of finding specific ones.
The 2023 Rawlins Art Beat runs from 4:00 to 8:00 pm tonight and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow morning.
For more information about the Rawlins Art Beat, the art selfie competition, or the banner project, visit the DDA Main Street website at www.downtownrawlins.org.
