Arts & Entertainment
Hidden River Arts Festival Adds Beer Tasting, Features Public Art
Varied media from more than 80 Wisconsin artists will be on display at the sixth annual festival at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts.
The sixth annual Hidden River Arts Festival will take place on September 16-18 on the grounds of the . The juried festival will feature the work of more than 80 Wisconsin artists working in several mediums.
“I’m always impressed by the uniqueness of the artists themselves,” said Paul Bertling, the center's interim marketing director. “There are some really unique pieces and I think visitors will really enjoy it.”
One of the highlights of last year’s festival was the creation of the first “community involved, site-specific work of art” built on the Wilson Center grounds. This year, the tradition continues with Madison-based artist Brenda Baker inviting the public to participate in the creation of “Pause,” a temporary gathering space made from a number of natural materials found in and around Wisconsin.
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“I really like getting people to see art in a different context,” Baker said. “And I love the idea of this piece changing over time as the seasons go on.”
The project will be completed with community participants during the Festival weekend and will provide “a place of refuge, a feeling of shelter and a place to take a slight pause.”
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In addition to helping with “Pause,” visitors can view the works and talents of young and emerging artists and art collectives at the Festival’s Emerging Artist Gallery, held inside the Dawes Studio Theater. Nearby at the Wilson Center’s Grand Hall, The Gallery Showcase will feature displays from River’s End Gallery, Effjak Projects, The Fine Arts Gallery, and Lyle Husar Designs.
“People are really impressed with everything once they come,” Bertling said. “We’re like a best kept secret.”
New this year is a beer tasting event from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 in which patrons can sample more than 30 domestic and international beers, for a $30 fee which includes Festival admission.
Residents and other visitors are encouraged to volunteer as both a way to get involved in the local arts community and to enjoy the festival free of charge.
Tickets for the Hidden River Art Festival are $7 at the door and $5 in advance, and may be purchased at HiddenRiverArtFestival.com, by calling (262) 781-9520, or on Festival grounds the weekend of the event. Children under 12 are free.
The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center is located in , 19805 W. Capitol Dr. Festival hours are 1 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (beer tasting event 4 to 8 p.m.) Sept. 17, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 18.
