Forsyth Park hosts annual Sidewalk Arts Festival

By: Angela Martin

Published: Friday, April 28, 2006

Savannah’s beautiful Forsyth Park comes to life with stunning original artwork and live music when the Savannah College of Art and Design presents its annual Sidewalk Arts Festival. This year, the festival is scheduled for April 29, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.  The festival is free and open to the public.

An event that grows each year, the Sidewalk Arts Festival draws thousands of visitors to view temporary chalk masterpieces created on the sidewalks of the historic park. The creations reflect many different artistic styles inspired by various cultures, interests and courses of study. The college awards first-, second- and third-place prizes in each of the following competition categories: students, alumni and prospective students. There also are three $500 Gray’s Reef Fantastic Fishes awards — in student, prospective student and alumni categories — sponsored by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation via the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

In addition to the traditional chalk art competition, the event also includes a student and faculty art exhibition, a SCAD student organization fair, food from local restaurants, and children’s and youth areas.  Bands such as Virginia Coalition and Steel Train will provide live music throughout the day. Attendees also will enjoy a brief performance from the cast of “A Chorus Line,” a SCAD media and performing arts production that is onstage at the Lucas Theatre through April 30.

“This year’s Sidewalk Arts Festival promises to be an exciting day, complete with beautiful displays of sidewalk art, a fun area for children to play in and create their own art, a full day of entertainment onstage, and interactive artist demonstrations for everyone to enjoy,” said event coordinator Brooke Grayson. “In addition, there will be an exhibition of concept vehicles and boats that were designed by students and faculty in the industrial design department.”

In addition, special events are offered throughout the weekend for SCAD alumni, prospective students and families of current students. SCAD e-Learning is hosting the first SCAD e-Learning Spring Social Weekend April 28-30. All e-learning students living outside of Savannah are invited to experience the city and the college in person during Sidewalk Arts Festival. The weekend will begin with a lunch reception at Smithfield Cottage, 118 W. Hall St., where visiting students can meet face-to-face with professors, fellow students and college staff. Attendees will then have the opportunity to go on a gallery hop featuring Alexander Hall, La Galerie Bleue, May Poetter Gallery and Pinnacle Gallery.

SCAD e-Learning will have a booth at the festival with information available for current and prospective students. For more information, call Sara Rollison at (912) 525-5081 or e-mail spitts@scad.edu.

In addition, on April 28, several SCAD alumni who are in town for the festival will give classroom presentations about their careers and chat online with students via www.scad.edu/alumni.

These alumni, who also will serve as judges for the alumni portion of the Sidewalk Arts Festival competition, are Shona Callahan (B.F.A., interior design, 2000), assistant vice president of store branding, Bank of America; Russ Bryant (B.F.A., photography, 1995), president and CEO/photographer, Viper Images; Tracy Yardley (B.F.A., sequential art, 2001) artist, TOKOYOPOP; Terry Ziegelman (M.F.A., computer art, 2001), lighting technical director, Blue Sky Studios; and Chad Dezern (B.F.A., illustration, 1994) art director, Insomniac Games.

Also on April 28, Dezern will discuss the creation of game environments at Byte Café, 3515 Montgomery St., 10 a.m. Ziegelman will answer questions about his work at Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St., after an 8 p.m. screening of “Ice Age: The Meltdown.”

For other alumni in town for the festival, the alumni services department is holding a reception April 28, 7:30 p.m., at Smithfield Cottage.

Hourly photo updates of the event will be posted on the About the Festival page online at www.scad.edu/saf.

After the festival, a time-lapse video also will be posted on www.scadondemand.com.

For more information about the festival, call (912) 525-5225 or visit www.scad.edu/saf.


Martin is assistant director of communications at SCAD.