Tephra Fine Arts Festival
The Tephra Fine Arts Festival (previously known as the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) is a juried major outdoor visual arts show held annually since 1991 on the streets of the Reston Town Center in Reston, Virginia and sponsored by the Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (formerly known as the Greater Reston Arts Center).
History
Starting in 1991,[1] the Greater Reston Arts Center began staging what is now ranked as one of the major outdoor fine arts festivals in the nation, and which grew both in critical reputation as well as attendance, with an estimated 30,000 visitors during the three-day festival.[2] Between 1991-2021 the show was known as the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival,[2] and the name was changed to the Tephra Fine Arts Festival following a similar name change of the festival's organizer, which changed from being the Greater Reston Arts Center to the Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art in 2021.[3]
The festival usually showcases the works of about 200 juried artists from all over the United States,[3] covering 16 categories[4][5] spanning most of the visual arts genres such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, fiber arts, and glass, as well as high-end crafts such as clothing, jewelry, and furniture. The festival is usually staged in the month of May, with the exception of 2020, when the show was cancelled,[6] and of 2021, when it was held during September as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
Process
The artists are selected via a curated, juried process, where three jurors[8] (which are different each year) review applications from all over the nation to finally select and invite about 200 artists.[9] Selection to exhibit at the show has been described as "a major accomplishment for the artists."[10]
Critical reception
The festival has been characterized by The Washington Post as "among the best art shows in the country",[11] and has consistently ranked[12] as "one of the top five" outdoor art shows in the United States.[13][14][15]
References
- ^ "Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival Reviews,". Art Show Reviews.com. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ a b "Tephra Fine Arts Festival 2022 (formerly known as the Northern Virginia Fine Arts)". sunshineartist.com. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ a b Kennedy, Colleen (2021-09-01). "Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival Celebrates 30 Years". District Fray Magazine. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival • Whurk Magazine". whurk.org. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Reston Gets Colorful at the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ Wasseem, Fatima (2020-07-27). "Rescheduled Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival Canceled". Reston Now. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival rescheduled for September 10–12, 2021 | East City Art". 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "28th Annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival – Internal Fire Glass". Internal Fire Glass. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Fine Arts Festival Huge Success in Reston". Connection Newspapers. 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Adopt an Artist?". Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. 2018-05-12. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Live!". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Juried Art Services". www.juriedartservices.com. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival". Washingtonian Magazine. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Tephra Fine Arts Festival". Dulles Moms. 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Guide to the Top Art Fairs Across the U.S." Artwork Archive. Retrieved 2022-03-08.