Arts & Entertainment
Art Crawl is Back for 2013 Season
One of Oxford’s most fun programs takes art lovers on a tour about town on the Double Decker bus
By Wayne Andrews, Director, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council
Optimism about the weather warm weather can not be far behind the first pitch of the baseball season. The Ole Miss Rebels opened their baseball season this past weekend under cloudy skies and cold winds. Yet the scent of grass on the baseball field and the thought of a baseball game scatter the grey winter clouds from the mind. It stirs the spirit and soon our minds turn to outdoor activities of every type.
The Oxford Art Crawl is one of those optimistic activities in Oxford with a season that runs January to October of each year. The monthly event invites residents and visitors to enjoy a night exploring the visual arts of Oxford regardless of the weather.
Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. Photo by Mike Stanton, fairtrade-photos.com
The Oxford Art Crawl is hosted on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. The event features receptions and openings at the visual art spaces in the community while encouraging artists to partner with spaces to host one night mini showcases. Art Crawlers can take the Double Decker bus to tour the various exhibits or walk between locations but the Art Crawl occurs regardless of the weather. It becomes a little more difficult in the rain, as the Double Decker bus is unable to transport Art Crawlkers, but the goal of the evening is the same: to encourage people to explore the visual arts in Oxford. The Art Crawl still draws an audience each month to discover the changing art exhibits at the various gallery and exhibit spaces.
The series, now in its third season, continues to expand with new businesses such as Art 2 Frame hosting exhibits and local business contacting organizers to be part of the event. Early partners to jump on board included Cicada and Amelia. These retail shops kept their doors open late and invited artists for one-night shows. The involvement of these retailers has brought a new energy and audience to the Art Crawl, as their customers come out for the special event and then explore the art exhibits.
The Art Crawl is sponsored by the Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, and University Museum, Southside Gallery, Frame Up, and Cicada.
The Schedule for the 2013 Oxford Art Crawl
February 26, 2013 – Special exhibit by Oxford Artists Guild at the Oxford Public Library from 5 to 7 p.m.
March 26, 2013 – artists have created birdhouses to raise funds for Habitat for humanity
April 23, 2013 – as part of the Double Decker Festival
May 28, 2013
June 25, 2013 – special art crawl featuring Bozart in Water Valley
July 23, 2013
August 27, 2013
September 24, 2013
October 22, 2013 – final Art Crawl of the year
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | 11:00 AM ABC or ESPN |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | 2:30 PM ESPN or ABC |