Images From 2011 Art All Night

Here are some shots I took at this Years Art All Night. Each year, I plan to do a major post, identifying the work and doing a review. This year, I decided just getting the stuff off my camera would be a good goal.

Depending on the space--timing and level of volunteers that come forward, it can sometimes look like this 14 year long Pittsburgh tradition is dying or not worth the effort. This year was a near knockout blow to the pessimists.

I spent about an hour and a half there but should have gone back--there's even a chance I missed an entire area. From what I could tell, a decision was made to put the performers outside the space this year, allowing even more space for art work. It's always a judgement call--clearly this limited bands who need to plug in and kept things more low key and acoustic. IMHO, the amount of new space for artists more than made up for this. Lucky the weather was nice.

One great thing about Art All Night, is seeing the vast amount of great work by artists who don't normally try to show their work. Pittsburgh as a city pumps out many well trained artists, who often don't have time or the mentality to pursue traditional exhibition opportunities. One theme this year seemed to be self portraits. Also many artists grab this chance to make an uncensored political statement or push the limits of humor. The extra space allowed for several good installation type statements like the one from Just Seeds about America's Prison Industrial complex.

Art All Night Website

Deep apologies for not crediting the artists, it was simply way too difficult. You know who you are.

Grand Rapids: ArtPrize 2010 Artist Deadline Now June 17th

For every reason so many hated last years "crass", "commercial", open ended American Idol of art, I loved it. Partly, because it showed an openness to outsiders so rare in the former "Rust Belt".

Warning! Don't enter unless you want feedback not just from curators and the approved arts community; but the great unwashed general public.


$449,000 prize ($250,000 to 1st place)

Top 10 entries receive a prize

Artists can submit one entry

Property in downtown Grand Rapids can be a venue
Venues choose the artists they exhibit
Anyone attending the event can vote
Winner is determined by public vote

They gots the cash we know you want. About ArtPrize

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – May 18, 2010 – While more than 1,000 artists have already begun their registration process to enroll in ArtPrize 2010, several of the more than 220 venues have reported that increased competition for artists has already begun for the 2010 event, and asked ArtPrize organizers to extend the artist registration deadline. ArtPrize officially announced that the artist registration date will be extended from May 27 to the new deadline of June 17, 2010. The matching period between the artist and venue will remain the same as published between June 1 and July 1, 2010.

“There is a huge demand for art this year,” said Bill Holsinger-Robinson, ArtPrize, Executive Director. “We’ve heard that many artists have informal agreements with venues already in place.” ArtPrize has gone from 159 to more than 220 venues. Many of the venues from 2009 have plans to increase the artists they’ll show.

“We showed maybe six or seven artists last year,” says Linda Lafontsee of Lafontsee Galleries, “We plan to fill the gallery with up to 40 artists this year.”

In addition, ArtPrize is seeing a number of curators who have been engaged by venues, such as the Blue Bridge and the Monroe Promenade. These curators bring their own network of artists that they would like more time communicating with.

The new deadline for artist registration is June 17, 2010

Artists have three weeks left to register

The matching period will still begin on artprize.org June 1

The matching period will still end Thursday, July 1

Between June 17 (end of registration) and July 1 (end of matching) is two weeks for artists and venues to wrap up their agreements and secure each other on artprize.org

Details Here

Art All Night Seeks Volunteers: 2010 Venue, Pittsburgh Brewing Co

The event has grown since and always changes with the constraints of whatever empty building in Lawrenceville they are using for it but I think this video gives one a good idea of what this is all about. Always worthwhile and filled with that "I didn't know my neighbor was an artist", shock. About Art All Night.



Art All Night 2010 is looking for volunteers and you can signup online now! Job needs are listed below.

Before the Event If you would like to help before the event, we will be cleaning, preparing, and building out the site. We meet every weekend in April from 9-1 at the site.

At the Event If you volunteer for the event, we will schedule you for a 2 hour shift (4 hour for registration) from 1pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday. Some of the duties are:

•Registration: Register artists and check in their artwork.
•Hangers: Take the artwork from the registration tables and hang them on the display panels.
•Parking and Traffic: Help control the traffic by the building and the two parking lots.
•Minglers: Wear an event staff T-shirt so people can ask you questions, also keep an eye on the artwork.
•Fire Patrol: Patrol building to look out for fires.
•Bar: Check ID's, hand out beer, and collect donations.
•Food: Keep food out on the tables and collect donations.
•Art Sales Table: No sales take place, but man the table in order to write down name and contact information of interested buyers that we will give to the artist when they pick up their artwork after the show.
•Take-down: Remove art from the displays at the end of the show on Sunday at 2pm.
•Art Pick-Up/Check-out: Give art back to artists on Sunday.
•Tear-down: Take down the display panels, pack our supplies, and clean the building on Sunday afternoon.
•Thank you notes: Write notes and acknowledgements thanking people for various donations ($, the building, equipment, etc.) to the art show.

To Sign Up you can use our online signup here or email volhelp at artallnight.org (replace the at with the correct keyboard sign).

By the way, Art All Night is not just for Pittsburghers. Anyone can bring their eyes, ears and opinions and anyone from anywhere can bring art. Bring it on down. Onsite Registration: If you did not register online you can still bring your artwork and ID to the onsite registration table between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 24.

Or register online and check out the details.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.