Sweet Pea, SLAM join creative forces for ’20 event
The Sweet Pea and SLAM summer festivals are benchmarks of fabulous summer events in Bozeman. This year, things have taken an unexpected turn, and both organizations have been challenged with creating new opportunities to showcase and celebrate the Arts under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local artist booths are a highlight of both festivals. Since gathering in groups larger than 50 is currently not an option, SLAM and Sweet Pea have teamed up to create an alternative that will allow artists to sell their work AND patrons to shop with Montana artists in a responsible and safe manner. The “Sweet SLAM Tour d’Arte and Auction” is scheduled for Saturday, August 8th from 11am-7pm. The tour portion of this event will afford the opportunity to shop with Montana artists at locations all over town. Much like stopping by an artist’s booth at SLAM or Sweet Pea, each artist will have their work set up in a booth outside their home or studio. A handful of Montana artists from out of town will be co-located in small groups. Maps with participating artists and their locations will be available on the websites of Sweet Pea and SLAM at the end of July. Patrons planning to participate in the “Tour d’Arte” are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19, and wear a mask when visiting artists booths.
In addition to the tour around town, an online auction with many amazing works by Montana artists offers another option to shop with these wonderful artists. If your situation prohibits you from visiting artists in person, the virtual auction is the perfect opportunity for you to bid on artwork and own a piece of original work from some of Montana’s premier artists! The auction will be open for bids from 8am on August 4th – 11:59pm on August 9th, and can be accessed by visiting the SLAM or Sweet Pea websites.
This exciting collaboration is one of the many ways both Sweet Pea and SLAM are creatively addressing the shifting circumstances that dictate public gatherings while remaining true to their missions to celebrate the Arts in the Bozeman and Montana communities.
Other Sweet Pea and SLAM events will include a community yoga class, mural creation in Bogert Park, Chalk on the Walk, Sweet Pea Art & Flower shows, streamable live music, and more.
For more information on the “Sweet SLAM Tour d’Arte and Auction,” virtual celebrations of local art, and many other events, please visit www.slamfestivals.org OR www.sweetpeafestival.org. •
