ELKHART — 2022 is shaping up to be an Epic Art Adventure, and the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau is inviting all local and regional artists to contribute.
Artists from throughout the South Bend Elkhart Region will soon be able to submit a proposal for a public art piece to be exhibited along the Heritage Trail of Elkhart County. Further guidelines for the proposals and a downloadable application are available online at https://www.visitelkhartcounty.com/artists/.
NOTE: Deadline for applications is December 6, 2021. Contact Sonya Nash at 574-262-8161 or sonya@eccvb.org for questions.
Epic Art Adventures is taking place starting in the summer of 2022 in tandem with the 15th anniversary of the Quilt Gardens. To celebrate, the Elkhart County CVB is bringing back the life-size, life-like Seward Johnson sculptures at each of the 16 Quilt Garden sites, just as the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Quilt Gardens in 2017.
For an even bigger party and to acknowledge the creativity and collaboration of artists in Elkhart County, Epic Art Adventures will celebrate the talented makers who inhabit our urban spaces and rural areas. Locally crafted public art pieces will be selected for exhibition throughout Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee, Bristol, Middlebury, and Wakarusa, just in time for the peak summer tourism season.
“Elkhart County’s history of craftsmanship is the perfect way to complement the Quilt Gardens. The creativity and collaboration that the artists of this region embody have created a vibrant arts scene. We can’t wait to show off their talents to our residents and visitors,” said Jon Hunsberger, executive director of the Elkhart County CVB.
Epic Art Adventures is made possible with a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, which supports quality of place as one of the essential pillars of its philanthropy in Elkhart County.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to showcase local artists in this way. Elkhart County is blessed with many creators who love this region and draw inspiration from the people and places of this area,” said John Mishler, a well-known Goshen sculptor, associate professor of art at Goshen College, and the local coordinator working with the Elkhart County CVB on the Epic Art Adventure exhibition.
The Elkhart County CVB has produced the Quilt Gardens since 2007, working with partners and stakeholders in each of our cities, towns and rural spaces. Businesses and volunteers from community groups dedicate hours each year to plan, prepare, plant, weed and water the Quilt Gardens.
The Quilt Gardens is an Indiana Tourism Association Best Festival winner and recognized as a Best of the Best by the American Bus Association.
About the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official tourism advertising/marketing and public/community relations organization for the Elkhart County hospitality industry. The Elkhart County CVB advances quality-of-place initiatives in our downtowns and rural spaces, parks and natural environment, arts and culture, and events, festivals, groups and activities that help forge social connections.
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Media Contact
Terry Mark, director of communications & public relations
Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
574-262-8161