Spanning across 20 closed-off city blocks, the 57th annual Ann Arbor Art Fair drew in large crowds of community members and art enthusiasts from Thursday through Saturday. Despite the city’s dangerously high air quality index — exceeding 400 Thursday and approaching 300 Friday due to smoke from ongoing Canadian wildfires — vendors and patrons alike braved the conditions regardless. As a safety precaution, the fair announced that vendors would be allowed to close at 3 p.m. Thursday, and reopen at noon Friday morning.
Showcasing nearly 1,000 independent artists, the nonprofit Ann Arbor Art Fair comprises three independent, synchronous fairs, including The Ann Arbor Street Fair, the Original, which was established independently in 1960; the State Street District Art Fair — founded and owned by the State Street District — established seven years later; and The Guild’s Summer Art Fair, established by The Guild of Artists and Artisans, an association of autonomous artists, in 1970.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, pottery vendor Kevin Rodrigue said his business was noticeably affected by the air quality.
“I definitely think there were less people around yesterday afternoon,” Rodrigue said. “But that being said, the people that did come out were very talkative, very enjoyable. But I think, according to the people around me, it really did cut down on the amount of sales and the traffic.”
Rodrigue showcased pottery from his studio in Fredericksburg, Virginia at a booth on South University Avenue. He said this year was his first time selling at the Ann Arbor Art Fair.
“I’ve been creating and selling art full-time for eight years, and coming up to Ann Arbor has always been a dream of mine,” Rodrigue said. “I did a whole walk-through of the art fair this morning, and it is quite lively and inventive. Yesterday was a little smoky, though.”
Valerie Lamott, a jewelry vendor from Columbia, SC, told The Daily she believes the Ann Arbor Art Fair is an attraction worth the difficult conditions.
“Many of these people walking around have journeyed in from (all over) the United States, all hoping to show their work,” Lamott said. “I think the fair brings down a whole bunch of different people. I live in South Carolina, I’m only here for the show.
This weekend was Lamott’s fourth year showcasing her work at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, but she said her business has been hindered by the air quality conditions.
“Yes, 100% it has been a struggle with the traffic,” Lamott said. “It has been rough. I mean, I didn’t expect it at all. … It was definitely difficult out here yesterday, but I think today should be better now that we expect it and are a bit more prepared. Today, I’ve got a mask and some eye drops.”
In an interview with The Daily, Kim Murrill, working at the Anthony Murrill Fine Art booth, said this year’s fair has come with obstacles.
“Sometimes the profit is worth it, and sometimes it’s not,” Murrill said. “When they announced yesterday that they would be soft closing, pretty much the show ended, so it definitely affected our whole day yesterday. It was really hard. It seems like the foot traffic is a little better today.”
In addition to independent vendors, the Ann Arbor Art Fair hosts Stamps School of Art & Design students to share their work and sell art. Art & Design rising sophomore Penelope Livermore told The Daily the art fair provides students with important lessons about creating a business.
“I think the Ann Arbor Art Fair provides a lot of opportunities for Stamps students,” Livermore said. “It helps them start getting their work out into the real world and brings a lot of traction to the Stamps school as a whole. They can earn income, which helps them learn how to fairly price their work, interact with customers and learn important business skills.”
Livermore said she feels her experience was worthwhile given the business her booth attracted.
“In my opinion, all of the preparation and setup was worth it, because in the end I donated all of my profit,” Livermore said. “Honestly, I did not expect to get as much business as I did.”
Summer News Editor Reese Kizy can be reached at reesekiz@umich.edu.
