Creative Arts Center To Host Festival of the Arts

CHATHAM – The 55th Festival of the Arts is set to open this weekend in Chase Park and it’ll be the culmination of months of work for the Chatham Creative Arts Center. The festival will feature the work of 130 artists, and include food, beverages, and a children’s tent. 

 “The purpose has remained the same since it started, which is to bring a high-quality arts event to Chatham,” said Amy Middleton, executive director of the Creative Arts Center. The festival runs Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14 and 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

 The planning process for the event is nearly a year long. Recruiting and selecting artists for the festival takes months. Middleton and her staff were looking to bring on more fine artists this year, and were able to secure spots for 40 new artists. But even in its first year, the festival was sizable, hosting 60 artists.

 “The Creative Arts Center really grew out of the festival,” said Middleton. The artists that had come together to celebrate their work and community wanted a physical space to continue pursuing their passions and offer classes to beginners. Thus, the Creative Arts Center was born. Every year since, the festival has been a reminder of the importance of the work.

 “It started as a community event and it still very much is,” said Middleton. “We see so many locals that come out for the festival, but it also is a big draw and gives a great boost to all of the businesses in town.”

 This year, the Creative Arts Center is planning an informational tent of their own in the hopes of helping festivalgoers understand their role in its organization. 

 “They kind of look at the festival and then they see us, but they don’t necessarily put two and two together, so we’re really trying to make that connection as much as we can,” said Middleton. “We think we’re a little gem here and not enough people know about us.” 

 The Creative Arts Center’s staff also greatly appreciates the work of volunteers who make the festival possible, including those who direct parking, greet people as they enter the park and staff the children’s tent. Such labor makes possible a cherished tradition for a town with a vibrant artistic community.

 “The wonderful byproduct of it is that we have people that come every year who would never miss it. We have folks that are my age that remember doing arts activities in the children’s tent when they were kids,” said Middleton. 

 The festival is a celebration of local Cape artists, but has attracted artists and visitors alike from around the country as it continues to inspire people from all walks of life.