Kentucky.gov

Arts Council
Kentucky Arts Council Accepts Visual Artists into Arts Marketing Program

Press Release Date:	Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Contact Information:	Ed Lawrence Communications Director 502-564-3757 ext. 473 Ed.Lawrence@ky.gov

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Arts Council has accepted seven new artists into the Visual Arts at the Market Program. The program is designed to enable Kentucky artists who create two-dimensional artwork (painting, photography, printmaking, etc.) and derivative products from original work to compete in regional, national and international markets.

The new Visual Arts at the Market artists are: Gary Bertram, Georgetown; Ronald Davis, Midway; Irina Ilina, Danville; T.J. Johnson, West Liberty; Michael Maydak, Union; Mark Rego, Louisville; and Lisa Williamson, Tomahawk.

Acceptance into the program is based on artistic excellence, quality of product for wholesale and retail markets and market readiness, as judged by an independent panel of artists and arts marketing professionals. There are currently 82 juried artists in the Visual Arts at the Market program.

Benefits of the Visual Arts at the Market program include introductions to wholesale marketing opportunities; specialized business and marketing training for wholesale markets; eligibility to participate in cooperative advertising and promotional opportunities; a Web presence in the Kentucky Arts Council's artist directories; and the opportunity to exhibit at the Governor's Derby Breakfast Celebration, the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft and Kentucky Crafted: The Market.

Kentucky Crafted: The Market, is an annual wholesale/retail marketplace, produced by the Kentucky Arts Council, that features approximately 300 exhibitors of fine traditional and contemporary craft and art along with authentic folk art, Kentucky related books, musical recordings and specialty food products. The next market will be held at South Wing B of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Public days will be February 21-22, 2009.

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet that creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Contact information for new Visual Arts at the Market artists is listed below, by county.

For application guidelines for the Visual Arts at the Market program, go to: http://artscouncil.ky.gov/guide/prog3/vam_gdl.htm

For a directory of artists participating in the program, go to:

http://artistdirectory.ky.gov/visualarts/

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Boone

Michael Maydak

Medium: Visual Arts/ Graphics

859-760-3295

mikem@slimbone.com

Union, KY

Boyle