Inside The Selection Process For The Coconut Grove Arts Festival 2023

 
Well, we made it through January in Coconut Grove, so you all know what that means. It’s time to start looking forward to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival! The 59th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival is scheduled to take place February 18, 19, and 20th at 2700 South Bayshore Drive.

This year, artists were encouraged to highlight “a different type of hue.” But how do they do this? And how is it decided which artists will be showing at this year’s festival?

The Coconut Grove Art Festival is led by executive director Camille Marchese, who relies upon the support of the Art Festival president Monty Trainer as well as a board of directors. Together, they have implemented a new strategy for this year’s selection process.

“I want the discerning collector to understand this is a highly curated show,” Marchese said in a press release. “While Miami is the greatest place in the world for this show, the reach, talent, and expression of this show goes far beyond our area.”

A body of jurists has been built, comprised of renowned artists and industry veterans from all over the United States who all share the same passion for art and strive to expand the prestige of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival further than it currently is. As ambitious as the task sounds, the festival is already ranked in the top 5 outdoor art festivals in the nation, so we have already earned a great deal of respect in creative circles everywhere.

The new curation process is completely blind. None of the judges is informed of the name, location, ethnicity or race of any artist who submits their work. This keeps the playing field fair for all, and qualms concerns that the festival is nothing more than a showcase of regional talent (although we are flattered that critics recognize how plentiful our home turf is with amazing artistic talent).

Beginning May 2022, each submission from over 1,000 artists was reviewed and scored by the judges. The scores ultimately determined who is invited to show at the festival and there is room for 285 artists. There are more than a dozen categories, which include mixed media in 2D or in 3D, clay, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, sculpture, woodworking, watercolor and print-making.

“We wanted to make sure we had the most critical eyes evaluating the submissions,” Marchese continued. “Being selected for a fine art festival is competitive and we’re proud to have the best talents and thinkers in the art world joining us in this process.”

The jury is comprised of 5 participants from across the country, each being a professional expert in their field and a true believer in the mission of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival.

“In the end, our commitment is to produce the No. 1 art festival in the country. Our director is a true believer in the mission of the Coconut Grove Art Festival,” Trainer said. “And being No. 1 means that we have a show based on artistic excellence, a show that is representative of diverse styles and techniques with a broad range of pricing with artists from around the world. There truly will be something for everyone.”

The 59th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival will run during Presidents’ Day weekend from 10am-6pm. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on the official Coconut Grove Arts Festival Website.