NORFOLK, Va. — With the 5th annual NEON Festival comes an open call for artists in the area.
The free festival will be on Oct. 17 and 18 in the NEON District — 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The open call for artists runs until Aug. 16.
Applications can be submitted here.
Visual artists (2D and 3D), musicians, bands, entertainers, dance troupes, theaters, performance artists and cultural organizations are encouraged to apply, organizers said.
A variety of spaces will be available on both evenings at multiple stages and venues.
All applicants will be notified of an invitation to participate by Aug. 30, organizers said.
The festival is presented by Business Consortium for Arts Support and Old Dominion University in partnership with the Downtown Norfolk Council and the Chrysler Museum of Art, officials said.
It encourages visitors to explore and discover the NEON District, Norfolk’s first official arts district, anchored by the Chrysler Museum of Art and Harrison Opera House and extending to The Plot on Granby Street.
Art installations include murals, statues and lighting from works by nationally celebrated visual artists and local heroes, bringing the total number of public artworks represented in NEON to 95, with 81 permanently on display.
The 2019 festival includes:
- Third Thursday at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio with New York-based artist Esteban del Valle, one of the original NEON muralists from 2015.
- Unconventional exhibition opening at d’Art Center Thursday with refreshments, a make & take, art for sale and a DJ.
- Artist panel Thursday evening featuring artists from all five years of the NEON Festival.
- The Plot and Glass Wheel beer gardens and main stage entertainment from local community groups Friday evening, 6-10 p.m.
- Unveiling of five new large-scale murals in honor of the fifth year of creating murals.
- Public art tours led by Norfolk Tour Company both evenings.
- Pop-up art galleries in NEON District businesses and venues.
- 2nd Annual Skateboard Trials with Cardinal Skate Shop on Starke Street.
- Programming from Tidewater Community College, Teens with a Purpose, Governor’s School of the Arts, Hurrah Players, Virginia Opera, Old Dominion University, WHRO and more.
For festival sponsorship opportunities, participation, venues or programming, contact Rachel McCall at the Downtown Norfolk Council or call 757-623-1757.
Learn more at NEONNFK.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.