Via Colori is a
street painting
Street painting, also known as screeving, pavement art, street art, and sidewalk art, is the performance art of rendering artistic designs on pavement such as streets, sidewalks, and town squares with impermanent and semi-permanent materials ...
festival held in several cities in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
to raise funds for not-for-profit organizations. Hundreds of
artists
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, the ...
, usually sponsored by a business or individual, gather and create large-scale artworks on the street using chalk. After expenses, the money raised goes to the not-for-profit organization to help further its mission.
History
Street painting was first recorded in Italy in the
16th century
The 16th century begins with the Julian year 1501 ( MDI) and ends with either the Julian or the Gregorian year 1600 ( MDC) (depending on the reckoning used; the Gregorian calendar introduced a lapse of 10 days in October 1582).
The 16th cent ...
when artists would paint religious icons in the courtyards of cathedrals. Known as "madonnari", these artists were "the visual arts counterpart of minstrels" and would most commonly paint icons of the
Madonna. Street painting festivals are now held throughout the world.
In 1994, Via Colori was founded by author, playwright, and performer Rick Compton in
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flori ...
. Via Colori is owned, supported, and licensed by Compton and is licensable by any not-for-profit with a widely supported mission.
Festivals
According to Via Colori's website, "more than 100 Via Coloris have been held in 14 cities." Cities that have previously hosted a Via Colori festival include
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,982. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg wi ...
;
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, and was estimated at 30,289 by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2019, making it the 11th-largest city ...
;
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...
;
Glendale, Arizona
Glendale () is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located approximately northwest of Downtown Phoenix. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 248,325.
History
In the la ...
;
Sandestin, Florida; and
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
. They are hosted by "beneficiary hosts",
501(c)(3)
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...
organizations that license Via Colori and coordinate the festival to further its mission.
Artists
One artist is featured amongst the volunteer artists who draw in each Via Colori. They are typically well-known in the field and usually create a larger square artwork.
Artists may be full-time professional artists, "talented hobbyists," or "art enthusiasts." Occasionally squares will be painted together, such as in a family or school group.
[ ]
References
{{Reflist
External links
* Kentucky Via Colori
* Fredericksburg Via Colori
Via Colori
Street art festivals in the United States