Art on the Mall, a tradition for more than 20 years at The University of Toledo, will return Sunday, July 28.
The free, public event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Centennial Mall on UT’s Main Campus, where more than 100 booths will feature unique works of acrylic, glass, jewelry, mixed media, oil, photography, pottery, textiles, basketry, watercolor, wood and more.
Throughout the day, guests can take in not only works of art but also music, live pottery demonstrations, children’s activities, food and new this year — a beer garden. Guests who are 21 and older with a valid ID can buy three types of beer from Great Lakes Brewing Co.
“We have some folks who have been with us for a long time, and we also have some new artists, which is great,” said Ansley Abrams-Frederick, director of alumni programming in the Office of Alumni Relations. “It’s exciting to see some work that you haven’t seen before.”
Artwork will be for sale at each booth; for customers who typically don’t carry cash, credit cards can be used at a payment booth set up inside the Student Union.
Artists have the chance to win awards at the juried event. UT’s Best of Show is the highest honor and goes to the best artist with an affiliation to the University; current students, faculty, staff, retirees, alumni and parents are eligible.
Throughout the day, the UT Ceramics Program will have pottery demonstrations near its booth, where guests can watch the artists work and ask questions. There also will be stations for children to have their faces painted or create their own art and take it home.
Guests can listen to music throughout the day with performances from the Toledo School for the Arts and the Jazz Collective with Christy Lanning from 10 a.m. to noon, Afro-Caribbean Dance and Drum from noon to 2 p.m., and Glass City Steel from 2 to 5 p.m.
Food will be for sale all day; vendors will include previous years’ favorites: Karen Anne’s Kettle Corn, Opa! Gyros, Everhart SnoBiz, Maui Wowi, K & K Concessions and Let’s Go Nuts. Two new booths will join the event this year: Asia Fusion Elite and Jeanie’s Weenies.
Parking is free for guests in Lot 1 South, Lot 1 North and Lot 13, with free shuttles to and from Centennial Mall that also can help transport large purchases if needed.
This year’s presenting sponsor is The Blade; other sponsors include ProMedica, Buckeye CableSystem, Toledo 5 The CW, WGTE Public Media, Great Lakes Brewing Co., Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Clear Channel Communications, Mail It! and Homewood Press.
