Around the Coyote, the sprawling Wicker Park/Bucktown arts festival, always makes you wish for astral projection skills or at least better walking shoes.
There’s a lot of ground to cover, both geographically and artistically. In addition to the 31 “official” locations showing art, other area galleries and businesses are mounting their own exhibits. More than 220 Around the Coyote artists and more than 450 total are showing in this year’s festival. Factor in the music, film/video, poetry and dance elements, and anyone who wants to take it all in is going to be busy.
Around the Coyote is a juried festival, with a panel of professionals choosing worthy participants.
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“We were looking for the best and the strongest,” says Gregory Knight, curator at the Chicago Cultural Center and one of the three Around the Coyote visual art jurors. “In fact what we did was a numerical scoring, and we were pretty much doing that silently.The combination of scores was unbeknownst to us even as we chose.”
Whileartists showing at Around the Coyote hope to sell work, the environment isn’t as serious a place for hardcore art trading as Art Chicago, for example. But artists can get their work out there.
“These artists are not only able to place their art on the market physically, but they also have so many opportunities to network with galleries who are here to pick up artists,” said Olga Stefan, executive director of Around the Coyote. “There’s also the chance to create a network of artists. Many returning artists ask if they can be in the vicinity of an artist whom they met last year.”
The busiest art spots will be in the building at 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave. and in the Flatiron Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. About 130 artists will set up shop in the 1701 space.
Around the Coyote also has a strong performance element with live theatre, poetry, music, film and dance.
The lion’s share of the theater will be presented at the Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division St. The Thursday-Saturday schedule includes works from WNEP Productions, Schadenfreude and Blackjack Productions.
All dance performances will take place at the Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St. Dance curator Michael Sherman has assembled a lineup that includes the Anatomical Theatre, Beth McNeil and Aaron Chen.
Various spaces including The Note, 1565 N. Milwaukee Ave., and Reservation Blues, 1566 N. Milwaukee Ave., host music events that include deejays and blues bands like Chicago fixture King Corey Band. Video is centered at 1184 N. Milwaukee Ave. Music and film/video run from Thursday-Sunday.
Around the Coyote has grown from just an art festival to an active participant in the neighborhood with art programs and other events. As available space shrinks in the gentrified Wicker Park and Bucktown areas, feelings of goodwill become even more critical for a festival that depends upon the kindness of strangers for its exhibition spaces. One of the principal show spots this year is the previously mentioned building at 1701 N. Milwaukee; the owner of the former dry cleaners lent the space to Around the Coyote.
“We’re very surprised by the turnout and support from the local community,” says Stefan. “We think this is due to the fact that we have extended our programming, that we have a real impact on the community. Through the gallery that opened last June,we have constant activity that creates a dialogue with the community.”
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Around the Coyote runs Friday-Sunday, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. and other locations. Daily admission is $5 (dance events,$5-$10); 773-342-6777. For a complete schedule visit www.metromix.com or www.aroundthecoyote.org.