Courtesy photos of the 2016 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas by Lindsay Madison.
What started as a group composed of artists and city officials in 2015 has grown each year into an art festival that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.
This year the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas will be April 27-29.
All the events are located in or near the downtown area.
“Our inaugural festival in 2016 was held mostly in a couple of locations,” Jared Witt, spokesman for the group said. “This year we have expanded our offerings and events and so have utilized multiple spaces in the downtown area. The festival schedule lists where each event will be held.”
Anyone in the community, child and adult alike, who would enjoy expressing themselves creatively is welcome to come, he said.
For children artists the following activities are provided by Breann Martin and Laura Agee:
2nd Story Young Artist Visual Arts Show is for Kindergarten through 12th Grade.
“We currently have 64 participants, from schools in Nevada, Fort Scott, Uniontown, and Girard,” Breann Martin said.
The artwork will be displayed at Common Ground,116 South Main on April 27-28 during business hours.
Winners will be announced at 2nd Story Arts Festival Finale, which is Saturday, April 28, 6:30 pm at Nate’s Place.
Art Workshops for Young People are as follows:
9:30-10:20 a.m. Saturday – Oogly Monsters with Myrna Minnis: Unique and personalized clay creatures will be a make and take for $5 per person for ages 6-11and is limited to 20 people.
10:30-11:20 a.m. Saturday – Oogly Monsters with Myrna Minnis: Unique and personalized clay creatures ($5pp): Ages 12-18: limited to 20 people.
Myrna Minnis, a.k.a. “the oogly lady” is passionate about working with people and clay, according to information provided by Martin.
In 1989, she created the OOGLY kit as a simple tool to help students and adults transform feelings into a form using non-hardening clay.
In Myrna’s workshops, students learn to create a basic oogly, then Myrna gives them free reign to embellish and customize their very own unique oogly creature.
Myrna loves to watch people’s faces light up when they get their hands on clay. Myrna comes from the Overland Park area and is well known by many Fort Scott residents for her famous one-of-a-kind witches.
12:30-1:20 p.m. Saturday: On the Fence with Allison Dey: stitching with metals and fabrics is another make-it and take-it event for $5 per person for ages 6-18 with a limit of 20 children.
Allison Dey is a modern day fiber artist, according to information provided by Martin.
Her sewing designs and embroidery patterns have been featured in magazines in the U.S. and Australia.
Allison’s artwork is inspired by found objects combined with her love for needle and thread.
In her workshop, students will bring old time skills together with unusual materials by cross stitching fabric strips onto a grid of fencing material to create a piece of mixed media textile art that fuses modern with traditional.
All workshops will be held in the event room at the Fort Scott Public Library, 201 South National.
These workshops are geared toward young artists ages 6-18.
“Thanks to a grant we received from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation we were able to include activities for young artists in this year’s Art Festival,” Martin said. “Our hope is to inspire young artists to create, give them a platform to display their artwork and expand their artistic skills. “
The festival as a whole is to encourage the importance of arts and innovation for the community and economic development, Witt said.
The goals of the festival are to promote Fort Scott as a place where creative people and creative businesses want to be located, Witt said. ” So that means we want to encourage creativity among those already here. But it also means that we want to persuade artists and entrepreneurs to consider relocating here.”
The keynote speaker is Marc Willson, who will be speaking at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Empress Event Center.
“From 9:00 to 10:30 Mr. Willson will present a workshop on Art as a Business,” according to Charles Gentry, a festival committee member. “This address targets professional and amateur artists with practical business advice to grow an art related business.
Private 15-minute sessions with Willson will be offered between 11 a.m. and noon, focusing on any specific questions and issues.
2 to 3:30 p.m. Willson will on Creative Placemaking.
“This will explore the following: Does Fort Scott have an interest in incubating, nurturing and expanding artistic businesses in our town?” Gentry said. ” How could this best be accomplished? Are there places which have successfully developed artistic activity and what can we learn from them?”
Retail business owners and artists can signup for a Willson half-hour onsite visit between 4 to 6 p.m. for ideas on display, marketing, and promotional setup.
“Marc Willson is an entrepreneur and nationally known speaker, who presents programs on art, business and community involvement,” Gentry said.
All sessions and consultations are free of charge.
Here is the festival schedule:
Schedule of Events Friday 2-4pmArt of Brewing, Tour and Tastingof Beer Flight $10 per person (must be over 21, ID required), non-alcoholic
tour & tasting $5 per person. 3-4: 30 pm Trolley Tour of Public Art in Fort Scott ($8pp), leaves from the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St. – limited to 22 people.
7 pm ImprovComedyat Common Ground Coffee Co. 116 S. Main, $5 suggested donation. Join for a night of laughs as the Fort Scott High School Thespian Improv Troupe performs comedy sketches created on the spot using audience suggestions.
Saturday 9-10: 30 am Trolley Tour of Public Art in Fort Scott, $8pp, leaves from the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St. – limited to 22 people.
9-11am Mimosas and Painting Workshop with Brittany Morris, Boiler Room Brewhaus, 102 S. National Ave. -south back entrance, $30pp, includes one beverage – limited to 25 people south back entrance, $30pp, includes one beverage – limited to 25 people.
9 am Enameling w/Kris Bohanon, First Presbyterian Church Zimmerman Hall, 308 S. Crawford$, 25pp – limited to 10 people.
9-10: 30 am Comedy Improv – Improvised Theatre Techniques And Games – FSHS Thespians and Director Angie Bin will provide a 1.5-hour class. Have fun getting an introduction to creating comedic theatre on the fly! No experience necessary, Sleep Inn Conference Room. This is FREE but donations are welcome to FSHS Thespians.
9-10: 30 am “Art as a Business” by Marc Willson, Empress Event Center, FREE.
The Hair Bow Company gives a tour to attendees of the 2016 Festival of Arts and Ideas. Courtesy of Lindsay Madison.
9 am Block Printing workshop with Ripp Harrison, Papa Don’s Celebration Room, 10 N. Main St., $15pp -limited to 15 people
9:30 am Art Workshops for Young People Ages 6-11, FS Public Library. Oogly Monsters with Clay with Myrna Minnis: unique and personalized clay creatures,$5pp – limited to20 people
10 am Scratchboard with Chris Woods, Lowell Milken Center, 1 S. Main St., $25pp – limited to 15 people
10 am Literary Workshop: Writing and Publishing Children’s Literature with Lori Baker Martin, Common
Ground Coffee Co., FREE
10:30 am Art Workshops for Young People Ages 12-18, FS Public Library Oogly Monsters with Clay with Myrna Minnis: unique & personalized clay creatures, $5pp – limited to 20 people
11 am Block Printing workshop with Ripp Harrison, Papa Don’s Celebration Room, 10 N. Main St., $15pp -limited to 15 people
11:30 amLiterary Workshop: Writing for Tabletop RPG’s (Role Playing Games) with Bartholomew Kick, Common Ground Coffee Co., FREE
12:30 am Art Workshops for Young People Ages 6-18, FS Public Library. On the Fence: Stitching with Metals & Fabric w/Allison Dey, $5pp – limited to 20 people
1 pm Enameling with Kris Bohanon, First Presbyterian Church Zimmerman Hall, $25pp – limited to 10 people
1 pmScratchboard with Chris Woods, Lowell Milken Center, 1 S. Main St., $25pp – limited to 15 people
1 pm Literary Workshop: Romance Writing as an Exploration of Healthy Relationships with Lynn Caldwell, Common Ground Coffee Co., FREE
2-3:30 pm Comedy Improv – Improvised Theatre Techniques and Games – FSHS Thespians and Director Angie Bin, 1.5-hour class. Have fun getting an introduction to creating comedic theatre on the fly! No experience necessary, Sleep Inn Conference Room. FREE – donations welcome to FSHS Thespians.
2-3: 30 pm “Creative Placemaking: Building the Artist Community in Fort Scott” by Marc Willson, Empress Event Center, FREE
2-4pmArt of Brewing, Tour and Tastingof Beer Flight $10pp (must be over 21, ID required), non-alcoholic tour and tasting $5pp. 6:30-8: 30 pm Festival Finale Event and Fundraiser at Nate’s Place, 750 S. National Ave., $25pp, includes heavy appetizers, dessert, and a liquor cash bar. This event will feature the awards for the Student Art Competition and art for sale by the artists participating in the 2nd Story Festival of Arts & Ideas.
Sunday 2-4 pmArt of Brewing, Tour and Tasting of Beer Flight $10pp (must be over 21, ID required), non-alcoholic tour and tasting $5pp.
2nd Story Arts Festival 2016 photo courtesy of Lindsay Madison.
The event is being hosted by the Fort Scott Festival of Arts.
Grant funding provided by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.
Event Sponsors
Boiler Room Brewhaus | Bourbon County Arts Council | Citizens Bank | City of Fort Scott
Common Ground Coffee Co. | Empress Event Center | First Presbyterian Church | Fort Scott Public Library
Fort Scott Area Community Foundation | Charles and Martha Jane Gentry
Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes | Nate’s Place at the Lyons Twin Mansions
Sleep Inn & Suites Hotel | Jeff and Kate Sweetser
The 2nd Story Festival Planning committee serves as a sub-group of the Bourbon County Arts Council, according to Witt.
“The BCAC has provided guidance and advice along the way, Witt said. The committee this year included Deb Anderson, Charles Gentry, Breann Martin, Dr. Randy Nichols, Jason Reid, Kathryn Salsbury, Kate Sweetser, Clayton Whitson, Lindsay Madison, Laura Agee, and Witt.
2nd Story Arts Festival 2016, courtesy photo by Lindsay Madison.
