Artrageous Fridays returns to Columbia this coming weekend. Art will litter the downtown streets — talk about curb appeal.
Kate Gunn, executive director of the quarterly event, says it focuses on “the thriving arts and cultural scene of Columbia.” She says she remembers the “humble beginnings” when the event first started back in 2007.
“There were a dozen organizations committed to celebrating the arts with the community,” Gunn says.
As Artrageous goes into its fifth season, it is evident that those dozen organizations that were there from the beginning have just about doubled.
There will be a lot to do: performances in the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series, shows by Yoga Sol, a yoga performance group, wine tasting from Red and Moe Pizzeria and a showcase at Artlandish Gallery, just to name a few.
David Spear’s studio Alleyway Arts will also be participating in the event. Spear has been part of Artrageous Fridays “since it’s inception.” He says the arts keep him and his studio fresh.
“Without the arts we would be a stale, predictable and dying society,” Spear says. “The arts help facilitate new ideas, open up new modes of thought or help us understand our own and others’ culture.”
A new-comer to the event is the Moon Belly Dance Studio. Owner and founder of the studio, Kandice Grossman says she is excited to participate in the event because the studio brings something unique to the streets of Columbia.
“We are offering dance theatre!” Grossman says in an email. “I think we are the only studio on the crawl that offers performance art of this kind AND free beer samples from Broadway Brewery.”
All that alluring art might make one thirsty.
Grossman says the highlight of the evening is a “Little Egypt” belly dance performance. There is some history behind both the “Little Egypt” dance and the original dancer.
“It is believed that a dancer named Farida Mazar Spyropoulos was the Little Egypt that performed at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893,” Grossman says. “Hung in the Birdcage Theatre in Tombstone, there is a panting of Fatima in oriental clothes, dated 1881.”
In the end, this artsy affair joins art-lovers together to serve a common purpose: keeping the arts alive in Columbia.
“Our mission is to band together those organizations who devote themselves to success of Columbia through the promotion of the arts and encourage the community to do the same,” Gunn says.
Spear, who is bringing in a compilation of artists to his showcase, wants to reveal the juxtaposition between different artists and their artwork.
“Each artist brings a unique view and context to their work,” Spear says. “For instance, some of the works are traditional works that hang on the wall, but artwork like the collaborative work by Catherine Armbrust and Trudy Rogers-Denham are more ephemeral and serve as a message without the commoditization.”
Grossman also advocates art in Columbia and is excited about what Artrageous Friday stands for.
“Art brings culture to a community,” Grossman says. “It reminds us to love and cherish our humanity for all its flaws and all its beauty.”
The event is free and will be held 6 to 9 p.m. Friday as well as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Printable maps as well as further information about times and venues can be found at [artrageousfridays.com](http://www.artrageousfridays.com).