Photo courtesy of Vinegar.
Vinegar arts group
The members of Vinegar, a Birmingham arts collective, pose inside their installation — called “For the Sake of Transparency.” It was on display at the Magic City Art Connection in Linn Park in April 2019.
EDITOR'S NOTE: With the ongoing cancellation of events and activities due to COVID-19, we at Iron City Ink recommend that readers check with event organizers and websites to verify if an event is still happening before making plans to go.
Birmingham’s largest arts festival returns to Linn Park downtown from April 24-26.
The 37th annual Magic City Art Connection will take place Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m,, and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The event will spotlight about 200 juried artists from Alabama, the South and the rest of the nation. All media, styles and price points are represented.
There will also be live music and dance from local talent, sculpture installations and art experiences for kids.
Corks & Chefs: A Taste of Birmingham will be back for its 23rd year. The event, which takes place in a 300-foot tent, features food from top Birmingham restaurants.
The food is paired with wine, craft beer, cocktails and special tasting seminars and demonstrations.
The Park Place Cafe, located at the southern end of Linn Park, will also feature food vendors open throughout the weekend.
Painter Ellie Ali has been selected as the featured artist for the 37th annual event, according to a MCAC news release.
A New York City native, Ali first exhibited her work at MCAC about 20 years ago and recently relocated to Portugal.
A self taught figurative painter, Ali’s work have a raw, primitive feel and feature fluid, expressive line work and the bold use of color and texture.
Ali will display her artwork in her usual spot on the Fountain Walk this spring.
Event founder and director Elaine Kunzman was inspired to start MCAC by the Three Rivers Art Festival in Pittsburgh, where she had lived previously before moving to Birmingham.
“I missed the creative energy of a major city center arts event,” Kunzman told artsBHAM for Iron City Ink in 2017.
She also felt that a similar event could help her adopted hometown.
“Making things happen in the city through an arts festival seemed like a pretty interesting idea to support a melting pot of artists, cultural organizations and the people who influence the city’s livability factor,” Kunzman said.
The event would also offer “a platform to give artists a great connection to the people and institutions that support their craft and careers,” she said.
For tickets and more information, call 205-595-6306 or go to magiccityart.com.
