Best local art on display, for sale

WAUPACA – With its start in 1963, the Waupaca Art Show is still thriving as it enters its 62nd year as artists prepare to show off their work at Danes Hall from April 12 to the 16.
Last year 148 artists submitted over 350 pieces of artwork to display at the Danes Hall at 301 North Main Street. The show brought in over $7,000 in artwork sales. Artwork can be purchased by the public which can be picked up April 16 at the close of the show. There is a small commission fee that goes to the Waupaca Fine Arts Festival (WFAF) for all art sales.
The Fine Arts Festival organization in Waupaca is made of three parts: the community choir and civic orchestra, the community theatre and the Waupaca Art Show.
Tricia Price and Matt Lawniczak, both art teachers in the Waupaca School District, were asked to take over the role of organizing the show eight years ago, Price said when they were approached they were told they didn’t know who else to turn to. Price said she attributes the continued success of the art show to not only the organization that runs the art show, but also to the community and artists who support the arts as a whole.
There was also $1,100 in awards given out in 2024, something Price said she hopes to increase in 2025. The judges this year are Andrew Rubin, a professor in relief printmaking and lithography, and Kagen Dunn, a professor of glassmaking. Both are from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

For artists
Artists can register online or by mail with up to six pieces of artwork per artist, registration is found online at https://fineartsfestival.org/waupaca-art-show. Artists will need to be registered by April 6.
There is a fee per piece of artwork: $25 per piece for professionals, $20 per piece for non-professionals and $5 per piece for high school students. Price said these fees cover the judges, band and awards, saying there is a lot involved.
“You don’t make money on this event,” Price said. “We come close to breaking even sometimes, but our board just thinks it’s such a great event that brings people together. They just keep supporting us financially as well as in other ways as well.”

The schedule

The five day event starts April 12 with an opening night celebration from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. that is open to the public. The Granite Cellar will be open for drinks and food and the artwork will be displayed on the second and third floors. Live music will be provided by Daddio, playing from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Price said that there can be hundreds of people that pass through the doors during these opening celebrations.
The judges will critique the submitted artwork on Sunday, with the show being closed to the public from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Danes Hall will open to the public from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. the judges will take to the podium to talk about the artwork and artists are on hand to talk about why they chose the pieces they did.
“Artists really like to come and hear that because after you’re done with college or if you’re not actively taking art classes, you don’t really get that feedback about your artwork from somebody who is really a professional high up in the field,” said Price.
The exhibition will be open April 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the public to view the artwork. The show will also be open April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be docents scheduled throughout the day to answer questions and help in any way as well as to watch over the artwork as a whole.