Art Reach of Mid Michigan accepting work for 15th annual downtown showing

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Amateur and advanced artists alike will have the opportunity to show off their work downtown this summer.

From May 9 to June 20, Art Reach of Mid Michigan, 111. E. Broadway St., will be displaying submitted pieces of art in the windows of businesses for the 15th annual Art Walk. The deadline to contact Art Reach for display is May 2.

“I love walking from here to the bank and seeing art in every window,” said Kathy Hill, executive director of Art Reach.

Any artist can submit a piece to be displayed, Hill said. Last year, more than 40 pieces of artwork were displayed.

This year marks 30 years of Art Reach. The center is celebrating by displaying historical photographs next to each piece of art.

Art Reach will provide easels and blocks necessary for proper display of each piece of art.

“The downtown merchants are tremendously supportive,” Hill said.

There’s always something different and unusual, said Tim Moffit, a member of the Art Reach Board of Directors. Moffit said the art is for sale in many cases and will be clearly marked.

“I think it will be enjoyable,” Moffit said. “We have quite a few people who like to go around the first week and see what we have.”

The center often gets a lot of extra people it may not have room in the shop for, said Kim Bigard, Art Reach store coordinator.

She said she likes seeing new artists come in. This will be her second Art Walk.

“We’re looking for student’s (submissions) … not just 2D,” Bigard said. “We’re open to sculpture, pottery and any other medium they come up with.”

There are a lot of nice things to see downtown during the summer exhibition, Moffit said.

“We make a connection between art and artists,” he said. “We would appreciate anyone coming downtown to see what we have.”

Next year, Art Reach is partnering with the city of Mount Pleasant to change Art Walk drastically. Hill said the center intends to make it a larger event and more participatory.

“We are ramping it up major … we’re going to make it interactive” Hill said.

Art Walk will feature prizes and artistic events such as poetry readings. Hill said Art Walk will hopefully bring students down to see their friend’s work.