Go ahead, embrace a win-win situation

It’s understandable Anne England and other artists would be, at the

least, annoyed and possibly offended that star power alone can get

you into the Festival of the Arts.

She and others have taken issue with actress Jane Seymour’s

exhibit at the Festival this season. England and the rest have to

have their work judged before being allowed to show.

At the same time, though most wouldn’t sum up the value of their

creative work with a price tag, the Festival is designed to sell the

art. It’s an opportunity for artists to make some money. The more

people that attend, the more likely a sale will be made. Celebrity

guests have been used in the past to help draw the greater crowds,

which translated into greater sales.

Still, preserving the integrity of the Festival is important. One

easy way to do that would be to clarify non-juried work with a “guest

artist” sign above those exhibits. That way visitors (potential

buyers) will know what they are looking at.

Let’s also not forget that Seymour is a real person. It is highly

unlikely that she is exhibiting in the festival in order to do harm;

in fact it was probably clear to her that her celebrity status could

help. So, though we may take exception to non-juried exhibits -- and

not to be too Pollyanna-ish -- do we really have to attack her

presence? Feels like a load of bad karma.

Since there are easy ways to bring in the attractive bait while

upholding the Festival’s standards, everyone will win if everyone

embraces the practice and appreciates the benefits.