PRCA METAL ARTS FESTIVAL

Thank You for A Successful Event!
Did you attend this event? Give us your feedback in our survey below!

PRCA
Metal Arts Festival

September 9, 2023
11 to 4 p.m.
East Side Park in Morris
Free admission

Join us for a free festival showcasing art and metal arts created by local people, with proceeds benefitting the PRCA! After the success of last year’s first ever Metal Arts Festival and Fundraiser, we are bringing this event back to East Side Park this September! We hope to see you there!

PRCA METAL ARTS FESTIVAL
SEPT. 9, 2023 AT EAST SIDE PARK

Join us for a free community art festival!

◇ Metal art contest with cash prizes
◇Silent art auction 11 AM-3:30PM
◇ Live art auction at 2PM 
◇ Sculptures, metalware, garden and yard artworks
◇ Live music by the band Island Time from noon to 3PM (http://www.islandsteeldrums.com/)
◇Aztec dance group Nahui Ollin performance at 3PM
◇ Local food and brews by Old No. 1, and am ice cream truck
◇Artist booths
◇ Hourly art demos featuring weaving by Diane Trew, watercolor painting with Della Conroy, pastel drawing with Faythe Mills, and printmaking with Michael Weatherly.
◇Free art activities for all ages including gelli plate printing and small wire sculpture.

Contact the PRCA (prca@prairierenaissance.org) if you’re willing to help us work on this event this year. We are always looking for more people to serve on our committees! 

Island Time Band Returns!

Island Time Steel Drum Band

Featured at our 2022 Metal Arts Festival and the 2023 Stevens County Fair, Dave Herzog’s Island Time steel drum band is a local favorite. Enjoy your favorite tunes with a Caribbean flair, and we can pretend (even for just a moment) that summer isn’t over!
Island Time will perform from 11am-2pm.

New this Year: Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance! 

You won’t want to miss out on this performance of traditional Aztec dancing from a local Morris group!
You may have seen them at Conexiones Day–and if you haven’t, please join us! We’re very excited to feature this performing art celebrating indigenous traditions as part of our community festival.
Performance at 3pm

Bid on work by regional artists on the silent auction

Some items to look for at the auction are a framed Zentangle piece by Diane Trew, and a framed floral pastel by Faythe Mills!
Silent auction runs from 11am-3:30pm

Plus! Live demos on the hour!
Diane and Faith will also be doing live demonstrations at the event, including Diane’s “Community Weave” project from 11:30am through 4pm.

Schedule of FREE art demos and activities

11am-11:30am Weaving Demo with Diane Trew and Laura Peterson under the PRCA tent
12pm-12:30pm Watercolor painting demo at Della Conroy’s booth
1pm-1:30pm Pastel drawing demo at Faythe Mills’ booth
1:30pm-2:00pm Printmaking with Michael Weatherly under the PRCA tent

Art activities for all ages!
Community weaving: 11:30am – 4pm
Gelli print-making: 11:30am and 1:30pm
Metal wire sculpture: 12:30pm and 2:30pm

Vote for your favorite art pieces–stuffing the ballot is encouraged! Then, bid on them!

Your favorite artists have a chance to win  $300, $200, $100 in cash prizes! Purchase tickets to vote for your fav entries: spread them around, or stuff the box! There are several pieces in this auction/contest, and each of them are made up of or incorporate metal in some way. These will be featured in the live auction, presented by auctioneer Kevin Manney!

Winners will be announced during the live auction at 2:00pm.



Help support the PRCA and support the artistry of local artists and artisans push the boundaries of art!

All proceeds of this event support the PRCA and its mission connect our community by creating spaces to experience the arts in Stevens County. We advocate, promote, and coordinate arts, heritage, and cultural activities in our area by:
* Supporting the creativity of all people
* Welcoming and celebrating a variety of cultures and perspectives
* Weaving arts, culture, and heritage into the fabric of the community
* Creating a physical place to see, do, experience art, culture, and heritage. 

Metal artists, artisans invited to compete for cash prizes.
Learn more here

This activity is funded in part by a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council through a Minnesota State Legislative appropriation.

Ask us how you or your business can help sponsor this event!
Email prca@prairierenaissance.org

Call for Artists!

People’s Choice Art Competition with Cash Prizes

The Prairie Renaissance Cultural Alliance is looking for artists to compete in their Metal Arts Festival metal art competition. This year we are encouraging all artists to showcase their art at our Competition and Live Auction. All mediums are welcome if there is some metal component to the artwork. We are looking for sculpture, welded artworks, mixed media, jewelry, 3-dimensional art, fiber art, etc. All sizes accepted. Be as creative and inventive as you wish – push the boundaries of metal art!

How to participate in the Metal Arts Festival

  1. Create an artwork to enter into the Metal Arts Contest. All works of art entered in the Metal Arts Contest are eligible for $600 in cash prizes, to be awarded by audience voting on the day of the festival. All works of art in the contest will be considered donations to the PRCA and will be auctioned off in a live auction following the contest. Proceeds will benefit the PRCA. Every artist who donates an artwork to the PRCA Metal Art Contest also gets a FREE vendor space to
    display and /or sell their artwork.
  2. Donated art may be any size, and may be mixed media, but should include some metal materials. (Used and “found” materials are okay.)
  3. Register your artwork by August 25, by emailing prca@prairierenaissance.org. Please include your name, address, phone number, and the approximate dimensions of your piece or pieces of artwork (to help us plan for display), and the value of your artwork. Attach a photo of your piece to your email.
  4. Deliver your artwork to Eastside Park in Morris, MN on Saturday, Sept. 9 th from 9-11 a.m.

For more information, contact Diane Trew at 320-314-2262.