Art Is A Drag

Art is a Drag
April 15, 2017
Historic Downtown Sanford, Florida

Part I: Art is a DRAG WALK (6-9pm) – Exploring the art of drag in a classic Art Walk format

Part II: Art is a DRAG SHOW (9pm – 12am) – An drag extravaganza of performances by 13 of Central Florida’s most loved drag queens.
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The "Art is a Drag" project started from the hope of revitalizing a depreciating event and the desire to create a lively and relevant downtown Art Walk in the City of Sanford.

A questionnaire was sent to Sanford’s artists and arts-supporters asking "What are things you want in your Art Walk?" The #1 survey-result described the desired quality ... edgy, multi-disciplinary and interactive ... followed by wine, food and stuff happening outside on the sidewalks.

"Edgy, multi-disciplinary and interactive" sparked a conversation about the high-octane milieu of Drag Queen persona and performance and a larger conversation and questions about the creative process of the Drag artist. These questions answered ours – let’s have the Sanford Art Walk explore the creative process of the art of DRAG as one of our monthly themes.

It was loaded proposal, but rang of importance in a zeitgeist kind-of way.

With all the stigma that is attached to Drag by those who deny it’s creative merits, dismissing it as merely some kinky lifestyle-choice (which they oppose), and at the same time, the adulation often given by those who appreciate it – Drag is a hornets-nest of cultural attitudes and beliefs, a tangle of identity politics and an art form with a challenging creative process. Morris (the photographer for ‘Art is a Drag’) was inspired to pull-away the fray, isolate the parts from the politics, slivers of raw process, that common creative impulse that is birthright to all humanity, a still-life in a moment void of judgement. (J.Lindquist, ArtBorne magazine, 3/2017)

So, the Sanford Art Walk committee went to work developing an event-plan intent to transcend preconceived notions of DRAG and illuminate the ‘art’ of it.

This ‘art happening’ officially titled “Art is a Drag” is unique in that it focuses on the creative process of 'drag' as a performance art, not just entertainment or a novelty. All aspects of 'drag' (i.e. character development, transformation make-up, wardrobe/costume and performance) are considered and will be presented exhibition-style in the format of a classic Art Walk event. The performance-art aspect of drag will be integrated with the visual arts in an interdisciplinary approach that will hone the focus on the creative process.

This event also serves as a fundraiser for the Sanford Art Walk as a whole.

Here are the main features of the overall event:

Part I: The Art is a DRAG WALK, 6-9:00pm
• The downtown Sanford Art walk venues present art exhibitions that feature some aspect of the art of 'drag'. Venues include ~ Historic Sanford Welcome Center & courtyard, Gallery On First/Jeanine Taylor Folk Art, Little Fish Huge Pond, RabbitFoot Record Store Café, Hollerbach Art Haus, Smiling Bison, Breezeway, Mattie’s, Center of Wellness and Park Avenue Photography
• Some of Central Florida's most renowned drag performers serve as hostess / docent / tour-guides at each of the 10 official art walk venues and along the art walk route.
Starring . . . Miss Sammy, Bridgette Galore, Divine Grace, Nikki Frantz Sanchez, Bearonce Bear, Chrysanthe Mum, Saphyre L’Sweet Cardoza, Eleanora Diamond, Tatiana Mendez, Tiffany Blue, Ashley Satine, BJ Stevens and Trancecia Sanchez

Part II: The Art is a DRAG SHOW! 9-12midnight
• This year the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center is partnering with the Sanford Art Walk to produce "Art is a DRAG SHOW” – a classic drag program extravaganza.
• Each of the featured Drag Queens of the Sanford Art Walk will have a spot in the SHOW program to perform a signature piece.
• There will be a silent auction of “HEELS”, original art works created on giant high-heel wood forms commissioned from 13 local artists. All proceeds go to the artist and to the Sanford Art Walk.