What happens with the backdrop of the Old State Capitol every summer is not only an arts event, but also a major two-day community event attracting thousands of people to downtown Springfield.
For visitors to the fair, it's easy to navigate the outdoor setting and to purchase original artwork, including paintings and drawings, sculpture, mixed media, glass, photography, jewelry and art created with wood and metal. They also can relax with the food and beverages sold at the fair and listen to a variety of local bands.
For exhibitors, it's a venue to display their work, talk with visitors and expose their art to new audiences. A review of social media includes numerous comments by fairgoers who are thrilled with the time they spent talking with artists at their booths.
The Old Capitol Art Fair is a juried show, which means artists submit their work for evaluation by judges, and prizes are awarded. The Children's Tent, established in 1965, is a major reason that entire families will attend, enjoying interactive artistic activities for children.
A volunteer board of directors plans and administers the fair. Its success in blending art, history and community engagement underscores its importance as a driver of local pride, which is why many local businesses and individuals support the fair as sponsors and partners.
One of the original purposes of this art fair continues with the Civic Art Collection. Each year, the board of directors purchases one or more pieces to add to the permanent collection, which now numbers more than 200 pieces and is on display at several Springfield locations.
