Bellevue, WA – Bellevue Arts Museum is celebrating the 70th annual BAM ARTSfair next week, July 29, 30, & 31 at Bellevue Arts Museum and Bellevue Square. BAM ARTSfair features thousands of original artworks, an exciting mix of community programs, free admission to BAM, live music, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned art aficionado searching for the next piece to add to your collection or are just looking to have some fun, BAM ARTSfair is a destination for everyone who loves art. Plus, it's free.

BAM ARTSfair brings some of the nation's most talented artists to the Pacific Northwest. This year's line-up includes over three hundred independent artists, selected from a pool of close to one thousand applicants by a jury of museum and art professionals. It is a competitive process designed to ensure diversity and superior quality. The Fair features a variety of artists working in different media—from wood, glass, ceramics, to paint, there is something for everyone at BAM ARTSfair.

Free programs include community art-making, live performance art, and the ever-so-messy KIDSfair. The Sound & Movement Stage features local musicians and artists from 4Culture's Touring Arts Roster. Admission to BAM is complimentary throughout the entire festival.

The first BAM ARTSfair was held in 1947, attracting 30,000 people to the then small town of Bellevue. Both the city and the Fair have grown over the years. Today the Fair attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Bellevue over the final weekend of July and provides a viable marketplace for over 300 independent makers each year. Notable artists including Dale Chihuly, Chuck Close, and Patti Warashina have all participated over the years as well as a number of up and coming craftspeople and artists. Seth Rolland, for instance, has participated in the Fair since 2003. After winning the John & Joyce Price Award of Excellence for his work in the Museum’s BAM Biennial 2014: Knock on Wood, Rolland is now holding his first ever solo museum exhibition at BAM through August 14. Bellevue Arts Museum is proud of this unique legacy and looks forward to the next 70 years!

QUICK FACTS
What: Bellevue Arts Museum ARTSfair

When: Friday – Sunday, July 29, 30, & 31, 2016
Friday & Saturday: 9:30am – 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:30am – 6pm

Where: Bellevue Arts Museum & Bellevue Square

Tickets: Free (including free admission to BAM)

Details: bellevuearts.org/fair

Thank you to our partners!
Bellevue Arts Museum is proud to partner with the following companies and organizations on the 2016 BAM ARTSfair: The Bellevue Collection, Microsoft, Overlake Hospital Medical Center, Amica Insurance, Angie's List, 4Culture, Àegis Living, Kitchen Plus, Renewal by Andersen, City Catering Company, Coca Cola, King County Library System, ParentMap, Junior League of Seattle, Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Bellevue College, Leica Store Bellevue, and Seattle Woodturners. Media sponsors include: 425 Magazine, Classical King FM 98.1, KING 5, KBCS 91.3, Intersection, Northwest Asian Weekly, Epoch Times, The Seattle Times, and Xfinity.

Bellevue Arts Museum is a leading destination in the Pacific Northwest to experience art, craft, and design. BAM engages the community through exhibitions, programs, and publications, featuring regional, national, and international artists. bellevuearts.org.

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