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06/09/2023 07:27 AMThe excitement is building as Maureen Belden anticipates Guilford Art Center’s (GAC) Craft Expo 2023 on the Guilford Green Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 16.
As GAC executive director, Maureen has the distinct honor of overseeing one of the most successful and long-running craft shows in the country and Connecticut’s premier outdoor juried show of American Craft. She’s hoping this year’s show will build on the powerful momentum GAC experienced last year when the event returned for the first time following a pandemic pause.
“I’m very excited for this year’s expo,” says Maureen. “Last year’s [GAC] Craft Expo was the first we’d done since 2019, and it was such an amazing success in terms of the wonderfully supported nature of the event. We had really robust attendance—I think the community missed it, and they really wanted to support it. Sometimes you have to take something away to realize how much it’s loved, and we really saw that last year.”
This year, over 170 modern makers from across the country will be at the show, purveying an incredible variety of fine crafts in mediums including clay, food, glass, leather, metal and non-metal jewelry, wearable and fiber for the home, metal, mixed media, paper, painting, photography, printmaking, soap, and wood.
In addition to booths filled with truly breathtaking elements, the chance for guests to interact with the creators of these works, in person, is part of the in-depth experience GAC Craft Expo offers.
“We sometimes call it a museum on the Green, with the addition of being able to meet and talk with the artists and see the people behind all that craftsmanship,” says Maureen.
Prior to taking on her role leading GAC in 2013, Maureen joined the staff at GAC in 2005, serving as program administrator and expo coordinator. This year, GAC has partnered with Artrider Productions for the management of the event. It’s a group Maureen worked with while she was expo coordinator in the 2000s. Detailed event information and admission coupons can be found by clicking on the artrider.com link at GAC’s website, guilfordartcenter.org.
“You can go to our website, and it will direct you there; and they have all kinds of information about the details of the event, images, and information about the exhibiting artists, and more,” says Maureen.
Even with a few years missed due to the pandemic, GAC’s Craft Expo has been going on in Guilford for 67 years.
“That’s a long time,” says Maureen. “It started out with a handful of people and a couple of tents. The art center is 57 years old, and the reason is because the original people who did the craft show realized there was so much interest that they got together and formed an art center 10 years later. So the desire for further education in crafts and arts grew out of Expo. They’re really tightly wedded, and it remains the case that Craft Expo provides important funding for our education programs.”
Year ‘round, GAC offers a full calendar of gallery and school art education programs for students of all ages and skill levels. During the pandemic, GAC successfully pivoted to offer online programs and events. Recognition of the transformative experience of making art may be what has helped to fill up classes quickly since reopening for in-person instruction.
“Since the pandemic, we have found there’s even greater demand for the offerings we have here. We talk a lot about how the arts are healing, and they ground you and give you important social connections, and we really saw that come alive in the past three years,” says Maureen. “We’ve had people say to us how important an anchor making art was in their life and continues to be. And we’ve taken on new students because I think people are prioritizing these types of things in their lives now.”
Proceeds raised from GAC Craft Expo help nonprofit GAC deliver on its mission to inspire and promote community participation in the visual arts through education, exhibitions, and outreach.
“It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year. It’s really important to providing funds that allow us to serve our mission, and do our work in the community, and run our programs,” says Maureen. “We’re really grateful for all the support we get from the event to help us provide the school and the art that’s at the heart of our organization.”
With its beautiful campus, public gallery, artisan craft shop, and unique classroom spaces at 411 Church Street, GAC truly is unique among organizations of its kind.
“It’s pretty special to have a place like this in your community. A lot of students and visitors tell us how lucky they are to have this resource right in their town,” says Maureen notes.
She notes GAC also attracts many from outside of town to its offerings.
“We have the word Guilford in our name, but we definitely serve the shoreline and the region.”
Right now, families from across the area are registering their kids for GAC’s annual Summer Youth Art Program, with first classes set to begin in June.
“The campus comes alive in a different way in the summer because there are so many kids here. It’s wonderful,” says Maureen. “It’s a different kind of energy level that’s really fun and young.”
Registration and information for a huge variety of classes for kids ages 5-12, as well as tweens and teens, can be found at the GAC website.
“We have a full roster of classes this year, with really great offerings and teachers. It’s a great way to serve a large cohort of kids during a concentrated period of time,” says Maureen.
As a Guilford resident, Maureen and her husband, Michael, raised their two kids in town, attending Guilford Public Schools. Maureen is a past board member and president of the Guilford Fund for Education and also gives back to her town as a longtime member of the Guilford Library Board of Directors, for which she currently serves as president.
In the spirit of community service, Maureen notes volunteers are welcome and needed to assist at this year’s Craft Expo. To volunteer, call 203-453-5947.
“We always are looking for volunteers for the event. It’s a great opportunity to get involved with the Craft Expo, and volunteers also have free admission for all three days.”
With its incredible reputation, GAC Craft Expo also supplies a welcome boost to Guilford’s growing summer tourism, as well as providing first-time visitors with an amazing introduction to the town.
“Sometimes people are introduced to the town of Guilford by coming to this event, and they’ll come back to visit or to make a home here,” says Maureen.
For those who simply love a fantastic experience with art at its heart, GAC Craft Expo 2023 delivers. In addition to exhibitors, there’s a food court, a family art tent with kid craft activities, and the chance to bid on donated craft pieces at the show’s annual silent auction.
“It’s a really enriching experience. It’s something that can provide inspiration for people,” says Maureen. “Certainly, it attracts collectors, it attracts people who are interested in supporting the arts and those who enjoy acquiring beautiful things. It’s also great for gift-giving. It’s just a really special event.”
GAC Craft Expo 2023 on the Guilford Green runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 16. Admission (cash or check only): adults $10; seniors (65+) $9; 16 and younger free; multi-day pass $15. Free entry to Guilford Art Center members and active military.