Art, Wine and Music in Downtown Jenks

The Jenks Art on Main event, now in its sixth year

The Jenks Art on Main event, now in its sixth year, will be held on Saturday, October 10. This is one of the Tulsa area’s premier showcases for Oklahoma artists. Art on Main exposes the public to a wide array of arts, encourages the understanding and development of diverse cultures and art forms, and supports the growth of culture in Oklahoma.

The Jenks Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation is hosting Art on Main. “This is a big day for us,” says Chamber President Annette Bowles. “Art on Main reflects the small-town feel of Jenks. And it’s very popular; people come in from Missouri and Arkansas. We’ll get about 10,000 people here for the event. It takes a lot of support to put it on, and we have tremendous involvement from the city of Jenks, the community, and our local organizations.” This year, the Oklahoma Community Institute has given the Art on Main event its prestigious Outstanding Community Improvement Initiative award.

“Art on Main started out as an economic development project,” says Bowles. “The committee decided to fill the windows of some empty shops downtown. Local artists wanted their paintings there, and it evolved into an art show with 50 or 60 artists the first year.”

Today, Art on Main sprawls over two full blocks of Main Street, and features 125 Oklahoma artists and 10 Oklahoma wineries. “Art on Main has really been a stepping-off point for some wineries,” says Bowles. “It really lets new wineries showcase their products.” These wineries will also be offering complimentary samples.

The art show is juried – a committee chooses the pieces that will be displayed. All of the art is for sale, and Art on Main encourages exhibitors to make their booths into demonstration showcases. Art forms include drawing, glass, jewelry, mixed media, oil, watercolor, fiber, pottery, photography, sculpture, metal smith and wood carving. “We’ve worked with the Oklahoma Arts Council to bring in great artists from all over the state,” says Bowles.

Art on Main will also feature a wide variety of food vendors, and the downtown Jenks restaurants will be open. There will be a number of local bands and musical artists, including Salsa Rhythm Project and Joesf Glaude. The Children’s Arts Area will feature a variety of creative entertainments for the kids, including a make-and-take booth.

Art on Main is Saturday, October 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and takes place between 1st and 3rd on Main Street in Jenks. Admission is free, and the event is sponsored by Public Service Company of Oklahoma (Art on Main’s premier sponsor), Arvest Bank, Tulsa Oilers, AT&T, BancFirst and Tulsa Teachers Credit Union.

For more information on this and other Jenks events, visit the Jenks Chamber of Commerce on the web at  www.jenkschamber.com, or go to www.myspace.com/artonmain.

For more information, contact

Art on Main

(918) 299-5005

www.jenkschamber.com
www.myspace.com/artonmain