Chalk Festival will move from Venice Airport to Sarasota

The impact of Hurricane Ian on Venice Municipal Airport forced the cancellation of the 15th Chalk Festival in Venice and let organizer Denise Kowal scramble to find alternative, smaller sites in Sarasota for 3D pavement artists to create art over several days at the end of October.

“We’re really working with a lot of different places downtown and we’re planning a community event,” Kowal said.

The 15th annual Chalk Festival was scheduled to take place October 28-31 at the airport, with the theme “Vivid.”

“We worked two years on this specific event,” Kowal said. “It was an event we wanted to do in 2021 and we had to hold back because of the pandemic at the time.”

Following the hurricane-induced cancellation, Kowal and his nonprofit, Avenida de Colores, focused on hosting a 3D pavement art event in Sarasota.

Denise Kowal clowns around in a 3D illusion room created by Mexican artist Cesar Polack.  Polak is one of the 3D pavement artists set to create work in Sarasota from October 20-31, as the Chalk Festival turns into a free visual event, after Hurricane Ian forced the cancellation of the event scheduled at the Municipality of Venice Airport.

Related:Chalk Festival will add artists working with flowers

Earlier: The Chalk Festival returns to Venice

“We will be looking to do installations throughout the city of Sarasota to support our organization in terms of the courage we have to move forward through the diversity and strengths of our community,” she added.

The current plan calls for 20 pavement artists to come together to create their illusions between October 20 and 31 at individual sites in Sarasota.

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