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"My parents have lived here for thirty years but still feel like strangers and I’m exploring how or why that could be. I’m not trying to be controversial but instead trying to create a dialogue where the idea of multiculturalism can be discussed and better understood."
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Words by Chris Catania
Photos by Colleen Catania
The Around the Coyote
Arts festival continues to improve by embracing the adage that change
is good. This year the festival’s directors have tightened
their vision, tweaked the programming to better suit the festival’s
core purpose and bumped the festival into October, from last year’s
early September slot, to be a part of Chicago Artists month, making
2007’s edition a prime reason for plunging yourself deep into
the emerging culture of Chicago’s Wicker Park art community.
The festival has come a
long way since its beginnings in 1990 when it started as a smaller
celebration of the local artists in the Wicker Park neighborhood. And
like Wicker Park in the last 10 years the ATC Festival has
experienced change that has allowed it to grow and remain relevant as
the community evolves. Held October 12-14 in several venues and
galleries the festival is a gathering of over 300 emerging artists
from Chicago and around the world who are showcasing works in
sculpture, film, paintings, photography, literature and music.
A few weeks before the
festival I had the opportunity to talk with some of the participating
artists themselves about their art and what’s it like
participating in the ATC festival.
The art at this year
festival is wide in scope and covers everything from the impact of
Islam in America, an innovative Media Lounge and fresh sounds and
styles of music.
ATC Executive director
Allison Stites tells me exactly why her name is synonymous with
the festival’s constant innovation and improvement.
In talking with the
participating artists they all mentioned how supportive you are of
their art and how you really understand what kind of environment and
opportunity an artist needs to have in order to grow. How did you
first get involved in curating art and directing the ATC festival?
I grew up in Ohio and
then went to art school in New York where I developed a long history
of curating and running galleries. I also come from an art family
and I’ve always wanted to get into a non-profit opportunity
where I could work more with emerging art someday. And then one day I
had the chance to take over the ATC and I ran with it.
What makes ATC
unique from other festivals?
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