Media Contact: Barbara Fornasiero; EAFocus Communications; 248.260.8466; barbara@eafocus.com; Shaun Hayes, Executive Director, Paint Creek Center for the Arts; 248.651.4110; shaun@pccart.org
Rochester, Mich.—August 14, 2023—Dedicated to promoting creativity and artistic excellence by offering a full range of cultural and educational programs throughout the year, Paint Creek Center for the Arts (PCCA) is excited to announce the return of its 57th annual Art & Apples Festival® on September 8–10, 2023, through the generous support of presenting sponsor Genisys Credit Union. This annual three-day jubilee of fine art has always had broad appeal for artists. This year, Jenny Stacey, PCCA’s artist liaison, says the Festival has a wonderfully eclectic group of juried artists from near and far.
“With the 250 artists and skilled exhibitors slated for this year’s Festival, we have representatives from 24 of the 50 states –coast to coast representation – with the farthest coming from California,” Stacey said.
Marcus Ryan, a 2D mixed-media artist using acrylics and photography who lives and creates in Marietta, Georgia, is a multi-year participant of Art & Apples and other Southeast Michigan art shows.
“I do well in the area. Art & Apples is a well-run show in a great venue,” Ryan said.
According to Stacey, 50 percent of this year’s artists are new to the Festival.
“With some artists exhibiting professionally for 30 and 40 years, there’s a natural attrition; they retire from the art show circuit, even though they may continue their artistic endeavors. This presents an opportunity for both seasoned and emerging artists to bring a unique energy to each Festival,” Stacey said.
Visual artist Carolyn Garay, 38, of Ypsilanti Michigan will display her striking drawings for the second year in a row at Art & Apples.
“I had a great first-year experience at Art and Apples in 2022, which was also my first year doing the art fair circuit full time,” Garay said. “I really appreciated the welcoming community of artists and was inspired to see the wide range of media and incredible talent. I also learned much from my friendly booth neighbors, many of whom had years of experience working as successful art fair artists. The community of art lovers and patrons that came out to enjoy the festival were so supportive, and diverse in their artistic tastes, which is always awesome to see. I love an art festival where people are open to all kinds of art and I’m super excited to come back for Art and Apples 2023!”
New to this year’s event, Paige Neils of Shelby Township is a PCCA instructor in ceramics and featured faculty member for the fall 2023 term.
“I’m excited for the Art & Apples Festival because it’ll be my first year participating, as well as being a ceramics teacher for PCCA. It’s an amazing experience being a part of the wide Rochester collective and attending an event that brings art and pottery to the community,” Neils said.
A long-time favorite of artists, Art & Apples Festival landed on the 2022 Top 20 Fine Art and Design festival listings by Sunshine Artist magazine—the only Michigan art festival in that exclusive category, and coming on the heels of another prior distinction ranking the festival ninth on the magazine’s list of the 200 Best Fine Art and Design shows for the decade of 2010–2020.
Art & Apples Festival is set to welcome an anticipated 70,000 attendees into the sprawling Rochester Municipal Park, near downtown Rochester. Taking center stage will be unique artwork, handmade keepsakes and distinctive home goods available to purchase, sprinkled with live stage entertainment from community music and dance groups; food trucks, tents and restaurant pop-ups offering a wide array of tasty options; the Meijer Kids Art Zone offering children’s art activities all weekend.
New to the Creation Station this year is a tent for PCCA student-led group, PCCA Plein Air Painters. Organized by Sigrid Grace, long-time PCCA student and member, Rochester resident, emerging artist and retired school teacher. Shaun Hayes, Executive Director of PCCA notes that participants like Grace keep PCCA going strong.
“PCCA and Art & Apples Festival live and thrive because we have such an engaged community of members and supporters like Sigrid Grace,” Hayes said. “Their volunteer contributions are invaluable.”
Now in its 57th year, Art & Apples serves as the PCCA’s signature fundraiser to support the nonprofit organization’s art classes for kids and adults, free art exhibitions, the Art Market exclusively featuring local Michigan artists’ work, summer camps, and community outreach through its Art Anywhere program. A suggested $5 donation per person will be accepted at each of the festival’s entrances; in turn, PCCA shares a portion of these donations with the other area nonprofits and community ‘gate groups’ greeting festivalgoers.
Art & Apples will open on Friday, September 8 from 2 p.m.–7 p.m. in Rochester Municipal Park and continue on Saturday, September 9 from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and Sunday, September 10 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Want to be part of this community celebration of art? A variety of sponsorship packages are available. For more information, please visit the Art & Apples sponsorship page on the website, call PCCA at 248-651-4110 or email Shaun Hayes at Shaun@PCCArt.org.
About Paint Creek Center for the Arts
Paint Creek Center for the Arts (PCCA), named HOUR Detroit Magazine’s Best Art Gallery for 2023, is a regional nonprofit art center located in Downtown Rochester. PCCA is supported, in part, by contributions from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. PCCA’s overall mission is to support creativity by providing opportunities for all to learn, create, experience, and appreciate the arts. Learn more at pccart.org.
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