Our White Night festival is coming on July 1st, 2010, that’s only 9 weeks away, and as we all prepare to make history as the one of the first White Night festivals in North America, really, we should take a moment to answer a few questions too.
This will be an absolutely amazing opportunity to be part of something bigger than all of us, and be part of a supportive and incredibly warm artsy collective of free-spirits and folks just like you!
If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or would like to join in, we’d love to hear from you, so feel free to comment below or email contact@madisonareaartscouncil.org.
White Night is sponsored and coordinated by the Madison Area Arts Council Chautauqua Series
So why should I participate in White Night?
The simple answer is why not? We have an amazing opportunity to put the greater Madison area on the worldwide map, actually the whole of the region, with this incredible festival. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s community happening, with everyone participating, united behind a common bond and purpose, to make the most out of one special night!
What can White Night do for my downtown business?
If you’re a local business, you have an incredible opportunity to engage the community, show us your spirit, your best side, and offer all of our neighbors, friends, and guests great specials, offers, but most of all, and what we’d love to see, is your support, your advocacy, your desire to make Madison great, we’ve got an incredible chance to do just that!
What can White Night do for us ‘creative types’?
We love the arts, all kinds, from all walks of life, we support, promote, and advocate all of the arts, and that’s you. We are providing you with an amazing opportunity to be seen, to connect, to create a great community conversation, all in one night, it’s magical!
If you’re on the visual side, feel free bring some supplies, maybe an easel, we’ll have a lot of opportunities for you to create, essentially plein-aire style, inside or out. We’re asking that participating artists bring one piece of work to display in our gallery at The BrickHouse for the night, come hang it up, share, converse, connect, but let’s make some great art too!
So you have a band, even better, we’d love to give you a new audience, and one filled with spirit, love, and support too! Sure, sell your CD’s on the side, but we are all here to create, so share with us your groove, your vibe, your vision, and we’ll share with you our love.
Essentially, White Night is about making great art happen, or at the very least, enjoying the community that will transcend upon us all.
Your best opportunity for promotion, beyond White Night, is to give us a link when you add your name to the roster, that’s easy, right?
Can I bring a few chairs and blankets to enjoy the music, or work from?
Sure, we all need to sit afterall, we get that! We’ll have some indoor seating inside, but outside, it’s all concrete, so feel free to make it better.
Also, families are encouraged to bring a blanket, spread out, bring a few lawn chairs, some water, etc, and enjoy the festival.
Are my kids welcomed at White Night?
Yes, but as always, children must be accompanied by an adult, at all times, that’s just for everyone’s wellbeing. We’ll have a giant sprawling papered space to create great art, and sidewalk chalk too, beyond all the free music and performers on stage.
So I’ll bring my circus tent, and sell my stuff from the back my van during White Night, right?
No. This isn’t another craft show, there’s no hiding behind a booth or a table, or selling wares from your Chevy, and we don’t want to see that happen anywhere during the festival, essentially, not cool!
We’re gathering to make, share, express great art, culture, inspiration itself. Sure, if you own a local business downtown, then feel free to sell your everyday goodies, that’s great, we’re encouraging that.
However, if you’re looking to make a quick buck, and steal our spirit to sell your soul, we’d prefer you move on, there’s plenty of opportunities elsewhere to do that. We’re making great things happen afterall, so play along, and be nice and respectful to your fellow community of artists.
Will there be alcohol served, or will I be allowed to smoke, at The BrickHouse, or outside during the festival?
White Night is an all-ages, fun family friendly festival, and all together a safe and encouraging place to share and enjoy. With that, comes some rules and responsibilities for all us to make this a great and safe place to be.
No alcohol will be served, consumed, or otherwise allowed, and smoking or chew will not be tolerated, in or around The BrickHouse or the White Night festival grounds, which is essentially at The BrickHouse and on the closed portion of SE 2nd St.
This will be strictly enforced, and once again, it’s just not what we’re offering here. We all need to be nice to our fellow friends, artists, and neighbors, and thus supportive of everyone, so that means we all have to help each other out.
However, we’d encourage anyone interested in alcohol or smoking, and a great meal as well, to visit one of the many fine establishments within Madison, especially in the downtown corridor, pull up a stool, and ask for the ‘White Night Special’. That’s cool, and that’s why we need the downtown businesses involved, and an active part of the festival.
As always, please drink responsibly, and always pass the keys to a designated driver. We’re all part on one great community afterall!
