Recap Time: My Experience at Westside Art Hop
Today is October 3rd. I’m typing this blog post now that both girls are in bed, resting after a full day of school and playground and fun with their dad after he came home from work. Yes, I should batch-write posts to streamline this process, but…
It’s a Monday, and it happens to be the Monday after the October installment of the Westside Art Hop, which took place on October 1 and 2. I was at my usual spot on West Liberty, and just as expected, I had an amazing time. I got to spend the weekend hanging out with Jim of JC Hicks, who was there with his beautiful selection of watercolor and acrylic paintings. We were graced by AMAZING weather this time around, too – always a plus! Turnout was great, especially on Sunday when there wasn’t a Michigan game to be watched.
I’ve done several different art/craft fairs over the years. I’ve had booths at outdoor shows, at farmer’s markets, and indoors at schools and other event spaces. Out of all of them, Art Hop is by far my favorite.
What’s so great about it, you ask? Well, even if you DIDN’T ask, you’re getting the answers:
Art Hop is quirky – just like an art fair in Ann Arbor should be!
This is not your typical art fair. Households on the west side of Ann Arbor volunteer to host an artist or group of artists, who are then able to set up on the lawn or in the garage of said household. Anyone who happens to be out for a stroll that weekend has the opportunity to discover dozens of artists and their work. Since Art Hop is held in both June and October, chances are the weather is great for walking around the neighborhood on the chosen weekends.
It’s an impressive volunteer effort
Art Hop is run by a very small and VERY mighty volunteer team. It’s primarily spearheaded by two artists who live in the neighborhood, so it’s 100% designed by artists for artists. As artist participation grows, a few more voices are joining to help with social media and signage for the event. I was even able to do an artist takeover for the official Instagram page as part of our promotional efforts! It’s such a fun community event.
The Art Hop vibe is incredibly supportive
I’ve worked craft shows with all kinds of vibes. At some, each additional artist feels like a competitor, not a colleague, which makes for an uncomfortable 6-8 hours as everyone not-so-casually vies for customer attention. I can always tell the customers are turned off by that vibe, too – those have been my lowest-performing shows by far. Thankfully, Art Hop is nothing like that! I’ve only ever felt supported and encouraged by artists and attendees alike. Better yet, with each attendance, I feel more and more like a member of the Ann Arbor art scene. (Look, Ma, I’m a real artist!)
All in all, this is an event I will definitely keep coming back to every year. Interested in more information either as an artist or attendee? They have a dedicated website that is kept up to date for both parties. The next Art Hop will be held in June 2023, so stay tuned! I’ll see you there.