Founded in 1930 by artist Maud Stumm, Nantucket’s Sidewalk Art Show is the oldest in the nation. Originally held for a few days in August, it was open to professionals and amateurs alike. “In 1960 Artists Association of Nantucket took the reins of the event and it is now one of our signature offerings and we are proud to be part of such a historic and popular island tradition,” said Cecil Barron Jensen, AAN executive director. “It predates the Artists Association by fifteen years.”
In her book, From Clotheslines to Canopies: A History of Outdoor Art Fairs in America, Kathleen Eaton states that, “the earliest art fairs of record in America that are still in operation began during the start of the Great Depression. The first, founded in 1930, was the Nantucket Sidewalk Art Show—a small local event based on similar street fairs found in Europe.”
“Still going strong eightysix years later, it is a great way to meet some of the island’s most popular artists, who are pleased to discuss their art and explain their work process,” said Robert Frazier, curator of exhibitions.
For more about the AAN, visit Nantucketarts.org.
