Art has long evolved from the traditional medium of paint on canvas - if you would just take a look around, the towering silhouettes of intricately carved sculptures are not all that uncommon, and the occasional bold statements of creativity we see lining the skin are an ode to the ever-changing nature of art.
The urge to create is part of human nature and with every passing second, new ideas are being formed and translated into a way of life. What we recognise to be ‘art’ may not be in the mere span of a few years. Track the stunning evolution of our imaginative minds with 9 of these art festivals around the world:
1. World Of Wearable Art in New Zealand
It all started with the idea of taking art off the walls and putting it on what is commonly seen as one of the most beautiful constructions of Mother Nature - the human body. Combined with the agile movements of the models, the vibrant costumes come to life every year at the World Of Wearable Art in New Zealand. Typically held from end September to October, the unique show often attracts crowds of up to 55,000 from all over the world - the intricate and original designs are simply spellbinding to watch, and even that is an understatement!
Featured in an extravagant and almost theatrical-like performance, the performers show off the lovely designs made using a variety of materials - wood, plastic, leather - you name it! The themes are often flexible, allowing artists to express their true selves with no limitations, resulting in stunning displays of original designs and high-quality costumes every year. If you’re in the area this September, stop by to witness a burst of inspiration right in front of your eyes - you don’t need to be an artist to appreciate good design!
World Of Wearable Art Awards Show
Address: TSB Bank Arena, Queens Wharf Wellington, New Zealand
Price: from 50 USD
Opening Hours: Varies, usually 8pm but may start at 2pm on certain days. Check website for more information
Website: World Of Wearable Art Awards Show
2. World Bodypainting Festival in Austria
Don’t be surprised to see a red-eyed demoness staring back at you here at the World Bodypainting Festival in Austria - held in July, the vivid colours that decorate the skin of the models here looks almost too real to be true! Re-defining the meaning of a traditional canvas, the human body is once again exhibited as a masterpiece as artists from all over the world gather to present ethereal, bold, and beautifully terrifying personifications of their ideas to the public.
Take a walk down the open air art park, where you get to look over an artists’ shoulders and watch the painting come to life with the plethora of other artworks who parade down the streets in their completed grandeur. Entertain yourselves with the World UV Bodypainting Awards, where contestants will compete with an original piece combined with special lights and sounds for the first place. Keep an eye out for the special installations all over the event grounds - the elegant poses of brightly-colored models hanging from thin wires are hard to miss!
World Bodypainting Festival
Address: WB Production GmbH (Agentur) Villacher Straße 1209710 Feistritz/Drau, AUSTRIA
Price: from 70 USD
Opening Hours: Usually from 11am, but varies from year to year. Check website for more information
Website: World Bodypainting Festival
3. Burning Man in Black Rock Desert, Nevada (U.S)
Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. In this crucible of creativity, all are welcome. Burning Man
The concept of giving is well practised here because you are what makes up the flames of Burning Man! Even if you don’t have what it takes to make massive works of art, you can still make a cup of coffee for the stranger beside you - it’s not the value of the gift, but your thought that counts. Home to the adventurers at heart, every stranger who is interested can be a part of the fleeting Black Rock City. Expect nothing and drop your judgement at the door - mutant vehicles and fire-breathing sculptures will greet you with a warm welcome in return!
Burning Man
Address: GPS coordinates: 40°45’13.83″N, 119°16’37.20″W.
Price: from 500 USD
Website: Burning Man
4. AgitÁgueda Art Festival in Portugal
You may have seen pictures of these colourful umbrellas flooding your Instagram feed, but did you know that those pictures are actually from an annual festival here in Portugal? Spanning across 23 days during the month of July, the AgitÁgueda Art Festival was started by the Municipality of Águeda - combined with the wide array of street music, live Dj’s and vibrant performances promoting both local and international artists, catch the unique installations of radiant street art around the event grounds while jamming out to your favourite hits!
The highlight of this festival is definitely The Umbrella Sky, where thousands of umbrellas add a pop of colour to the rustic street buildings of Águeda. Catch your breath during the sweltering months of July under the shades of the umbrellas - the buzzing art town has much to offer!
Ágitagueda Art Festival
Address: Largo 1º de Maio, 3750 Águeda, Aveiro, Portugal
Price: Free
Opening Hours: Umbrella displays are up until end of September. Individual programme timings differ, check website for more info
Website: Ágitagueda Art Festival
5. Vivid Sydney in Sydney, Australia
Celebrated as the festival of lights, music and ideas, Vivid Sydney illuminates the heart of Austrailia’s most populous city annually in May - ranging from installations to huge-scale projections, the sculpted magnificence of Sydney’s most historical buildings are highlighted with a psychedelic collection of colours.
The best part? It’s all free!
Take a walk down the Sydney Harbour Bridge and admire the stunning display of cleverly-designed lights alongside towering life-sized sculpture projections. Before you head home, stop by the Sydney Opera House for a night filled with live music by renowned musicians, and talk about that new million dollar idea you have at the Vivid Ideas convention, where start-ups and entrepreneurs gather to share their ideas in a healthy environment.
Vivid Sydney
Address: Sydney, Australia – Locations vary across the city. Check website for more info
Price: Free
Opening Hours: Lights usually start projecting at 7pm
Website: Vivid Sydney
6. The Art Biennale in Venice, Italy
True to its name, the 6-month long Venice Art Biennale takes place every odd-numbered year in May. With a rich history dating back to centuries ago, the direction of the contemporary art festival has shifted and evolved beyond the traditional forms of art - now, the Venice International Film Festival and the International Architecture Exhibition are prestigious benchmarks internationally recognised alongside the Art Biennale.
The exhibitions showcased at the Art Biennale are curated annually with a theme in mind, with topics ranging from humanism to freedom of expression, the interactive nature of the festival allows you to catch a glimpse into the artists’ motivations rather than just appreciating the beauty of the artwork. At the start of every week during the six-month long exhibition, an Open Table event where both the artists and the public can have lunch together is held, where the artists get to share their works and answer questions - making this a must-see festival for all art enthusiasts.
The Art Biennale
Address: Venice: Giardini and Arsenale
Price: from 26 USD
Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm
Website: Venice Biennale
7. ARCOmadrid - The International Art Contemporary Fair in Spain
Art is a universal language that can be understood beyond language barriers - the power to bring nations together is a rare one, and yet, the ARCO Madrid manages to do it every year. Typically held during February, a total of over 100 galleries from 30 countries come together to form the biggest art festival in Spain, making it is the best place to appreciate some of the finest mixed-media works from all around the world.
Featuring a guest country every year, the general idea of discovering new talent in the ever-shifting art industry is a practice that the ARCO Madrid wants to push. By inviting renowned gallery owners and collectors, everyone has their chance of being the star of the show.
Of course, we can’t forget the little ones, can we? The ARCOkids aims to promote curiosity for the arts in children with a wide array of children’s workshops and interactive apps that are free to download - if you’re still young at heart, you can try it out too!
ARCOmadrid
Address: FERIA DE MADRID, Halls 7 and 9
Price: from 21 USD
Opening Hours: 12am - 8pm
Website: ARCOmadrid
8. Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial in Japan
Held every 3 years, the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial complements the magnificent display of over a hundred different artworks in the rural area of Echigo Tsumari. Designed with the intention of showing the charm of the natural environment here, most of the permanent exhibitions here are etched onto the landscape itself.
In viewing the artworks, the visitor passes through terraced rice fields and forests of native beach, encountering festivals and traditional customs, thereby experiencing the landscapes and cultures of Echigo-Tsumari through all five senses. Echigo-Tsumari Art Field
Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial
Address: Niigata Prefrecture
Price: from 4 USD
Opening Hours: Varies depending on area. Check website for more information
Website: Echigo-Tsumari Art Festival
9. The Armory Show in New York
Held in March every year on Piers 92 & 94, New York street, the Armory Show is an international art fair specialising in spotting new and emerging talents, especially in the visual arts scene. Split into 2 different exhibition spaces, the Pier 94 - Contemporary section showcases artworks done by living artists, while the Pier 92 - Modern section pays homage to the masterpieces completed by legendary artists in the previous century - the perfect place to be for art geeks.
The Armory Show
Address: Piers 92 & 94 711 12th Avenue, New York, 10019
Price: from 47 USD
Opening Hours: 12pm - 8pm, some days may end earlier. Check website for more info
Website: The Armory Show
An eye-opener
People turn to art for different reasons - some use it as a coping mechanism when they are unable to rationalise the sour lemons that life tends to throw at them, whilst some create with the intention of spreading cultural awareness. No matter the reason, each artwork has a story of their own and ultimately, it is up to you to interpret what these stories mean to you.
Why not try a different kind of holiday this year by popping by one of these art festivals? You may just find yourself picking up the paintbrush, too!
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