A painting of Downtown Marquette is shown. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — The city of Marquette will be hosting its tenth and final Art Week from June 23-28, marking a decade of successful public programming.

“In total, the city of Marquette has presented over 330 events and experiences over 54 total Art Week days, involving nearly 500 creatives and over 90 local businesses and community organizations, totals we’ll add to one final time this summer,” said Tristan Luoma, Arts and Senior Services Coordinator for the City of Marquette Community Services Department.

This year’s Art Week will be themed “Stories: The Final Chapter” in reference to 2025 being the beloved event’s final year.

“Art Week as we know it has reached its natural end as we seek to graduate the energy put into Art Week and in turn provide more year-round support for local creatives and opportunities for community engagement,” said Luoma.

“Inspired by this turning of the page, we settled on “STORIES” as a fitting and symbolic theme to this final Art Week as we reflect on a decade of connection and look ahead to what’s next for our entire arts and culture scene.”

Art Week is a celebration of art as a practice; both the practices of making art as well as enjoying it.

“Art is everywhere, and it’s here for all of us,” said Luoma.“I think it’s important that we take the time to reflect upon just how blessed we are to live in a community that has embraced arts and culture as part of its identity as much as Marquette has, as well as celebrate and value the artists and organizers who have made it all possible.”

Each year Art Week has brought art to unexpected spaces in Marquette, from plein air painting at the museum to poetry readings at the park.

“Art week has been the event which made art accessible to people in our community,” said Mike Bradford, Promotions Director with the Marquette Downtown Development Authority. “It allows artists to create something original then allows the community to enjoy it at almost no cost. It’s been an incredible resource to this community as far as art is concerned.”

This year will be no different, as activities and installations include a concert and square dance on the Hurley Park ballfield, chalk poetry on Third Street sidewalks, and an outdoor performance by the Marquette Symphony Orchestra Summer Strings. There will also be a ribbon cutting of the Marquette Shoreline Cultural Trail, and an installation put on by the DDA entitled “Now You See Me: An Inside Out Project.” These events come alongside familiar favorites such as the Presque Isle Art Fair and the Downtown Farmers and Artisans Market.

“One of my favorite parts about Art Week is how low the barriers are to participate in terms of cost, accessibility, and visibility,” said Luoma. “Whether you’re walking on the bike path, stumble upon an activity and can spare a couple minutes to escape into local arts and culture, or you plan a family outing around an evening concert, Art Week welcomes everyone to participate in a way that feels comfortable and authentic.

“Art Week has encouraged play and shone a light on how many beautiful and sometimes quirky nooks and crannies there are all around our city, just waiting for something fresh and unexpected to change how we perceive and maneuver around and within them.”

Art Week represents a collaborative effort between everyone in Marquette, and it is this community spirit that Luoma hopes will continue once Art Week is gone.

“In my eyes, the sharing of local resources including physical space, equipment, time, and energy is paramount to the success of a community, especially a relatively rural one,” said Luoma. “We’ve seen countless instances of folks coming together to make a bigger impact than any one person or party could do alone, and I’m eager to continue fostering and encouraging collaboration in everything that’s to come.”

While 2025 will be the end of Art Week, it will surely not be the end of art in Marquette.

“We want every week to be Art Week,” said Luoma. “I’ve grown incredibly fond of Art Week and all of the public engagement with local arts and culture it’s driven, the new connections made between various artists, businesses and organizations and what it’s taught us about creative use of public spaces for low-barrier events that bolster our creative community and economy.”

“People are sad to see it go,” said Bradford. “They see its value and already they’re looking at how we can keep this thing going. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens during the next few years to fill Art Week’s shoes.”

“I hope that Marquette’s goodbye to Art Week will be as though it isn’t going anywhere,” said Luoma. “Folks smile and applaud, pack up their things, head home, and go to sleep feeling grateful to live in a community full of such beauty and selfless talent. Then we wake up the next day, daydream about what’s next, and get to work to help keep the creative spirit alive.”

For more information about Art Week, visit https://mqtcompass.com/artweek/