The Orleans Cultural District launches its first Orleans Art Week full of events and activities around the town to celebrate local creatives and businesses.
The week, which runs April 20-27, features over 30 events, ranging from workshops to gallery events to concerts and more.
“This is just a homegrown Orleans event to celebrate the people who live in the area, work in the area, the creative people in the area and to support that,” Bonny Campbell-Runyon, chair of the Orleans Cultural District said.
Exhibitions, like the Orleans Arts Exhibit at Garvey Rita Arts and Antiques, concerts and outdoor events fill the day on April 20 with the Addison Art Gallery officially kicking off the festival at 4 p.m. At the kickoff, a new exhibition featuring works from Paul Schulenburg, Karri Allrich and other artists debuts alongside art demonstrations, book signings and music from Natalia Bonfini, according to a release for the event.
Each day brings another set of exciting events like Art Trivia Night at 7 p.m. on April 22 at the Barley Neck Inn, a ukelele pop-up show with Tim Sweeney and Friends at 10 a.m. on April 26 at Sparrow Store, and Story Hour at 10:30 a.m. on April 27 at the Snow Library. Festivities end at 3 p.m. on April 27 with a closing reception at the Addison Art Gallery.
“Part of our mission is to support the creative economy and the creative people in this town and to create events that will bring joy to people where they can come together and create,” Campbell-Runyon said. “There’s never enough of that.”
The Cultural District is also sponsoring several workshops, such as a floral pastel class with Rosalie Nadeau and a drumming workshop for middle schoolers, throughout the week at the Old Firehouse Community Center (44 Main St. in Orleans.) Workshops vary in price (from $5 to $25) and participants can register online with the Orleans Recreation Department.
“(There’s) something for everyone (from) kids all the way up to 99-year-olds,” Campbell-Runyon said.
Since Art Week overlaps with Earth Day, several Earth Day-themed events are going on as well. That includes the launch of Eco Arts, a year-long community art initiative, founded by Creative Cape Cod, working to promote conscious creativity within the community.
“The cultural district has given seed money to the Eco Arts project from the beginning,” Campbell-Runyon said. “For the art week event that they’re doing, they’ve taken bittersweet and cut it and they’re making orbs out of it. They’re using materials that are invasive and getting them out of the environment.”
The kick-off is at at 1 p.m. on April 21 on the Town Green. For a full lineup of events happening throughout the week, visit www.orleansculturaldistrict.org/artweek/.
Frankie Rowley covers entertainment and things to do. Contact her at frowley@capecodonline.com.
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