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Grafton – The 2019 Small Stones Festival of the Arts (SSFA) will be held Nov. 8-16, at the Great Hall, One Grafton Common in Grafton. Three regional arts organizations – Apple Tree Arts, The Worcester County Camera Club and the Blackstone Valley Art Association – have collaborated to bring the second annual Juried Exhibit of Fine Art and Fine Art Photography with an expanded music program to the Great Hall. The opening reception will be held Friday, Nov. 8, from 7-9:30 p.m. Exhibit hours are Saturday, Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Last year’s festival featured 144 pieces of artwork of 76 artists residing in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. In addition to the juried exhibition, the Blackstone Valley Art Association and Worcester Country Camera Club members’ artwork and photography will be displayed. During exhibit hours, original artwork, prints and art related-merchandising will be sold.
The SSFA has appointed several distinguished jurors. The independent jurors will select all submissions for the exhibit and award first, second and third cash prize winners and juror’s choice (six awards). A popular choice award for each category will be voted on by exhibit attendees. The Art Call website http://smallstones2019.artcall.org opens Thursday, Aug. 15, for submissions of fine art photography and fine painting and drawing. Wednesday, Sept. 11, is the deadline for submissions. Cash awards are $500 for first; $250 for second; and $100 for third place. An exhibit catalogue will be available at the festival.
Festival co-chairs Ken Crater of the Worcester County Camera Club and Donna Blanchard of Apple Tree Arts are working with a committee of 10.
“We were thrilled with the success of our first festival last November which opened to a packed Great Hall filled with artists and art supporters surrounded by beautiful fine art and photography,” said Blanchard, executive director of the nonprofit community music and theatre arts school. Last year hundreds of people visited the regional juried arts Festival. The mission of the Small Stones Festival of the Arts is to elevate the practice and appreciation of fine art and photography in the Blackstone Valley and beyond.
Apple Tree Arts is organizing a dynamic music program with a variety of musicians and concerts. The opening reception will feature The Kelly Clark Jazz Quartet. The 2019 Festival’s prize-winning fine artwork and photography will be on display during several concerts planned for the week of Nov. 11. The Nov. 16 finale showcases Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra musicians directed by Paul Surapine, founder, conductor and executive director of the CHSO in the first concert of the 2019-2020 Claflin Hill-Apple Tree Arts Chamber Music Concert Series.
Sponsorships are available by contacting Blanchard at [email protected] or 508-839-4286. For more information, visit smallstonesfestival.org or contact Blanchard or Crater at [email protected].
