TFAC's Art Festival Resuscitated, Returns May 2012
If Tullahoma Fine Arts Center Hosts It, Will They Come?
Updated January 6, 2012
The new board of directors at Tullahoma Fine Arts Center is bringing back its annual Tullahoma Fine Arts and Crafts Festival in May 2012.
On Thursday the board set the festival dates for May 26 and 27.
The previous board, under the leadership of Troy McFarland, killed this year's fair. The festival was the center's largest annual fund-raising event. The juried show was usually held on the grounds of South Jackson Civic Center, located across the street from TFAC.
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"What [TFAC] had for years, just did not work," said McFarland earlier this year. He said he would take TFAC in a different direction.
Instead of hosting the May festival, McFarland opted to support the 41-A Music Festival, which is sponsored in September by the Highland Rim Kiwanis Club. McFarland was a Kiwanis member.
After the center's coffers were discovered depleted, McFarland, who served as both board president and executive director, was forced to resign in September and a new board elected.
Now that board wants to reverse course and bring back the festival, which has been held for 42 years.
Several TFAC members admit that the center will face a daunting challenge in resurrecting the arts venue, due to its past missteps. But Becky Shelton said as soon as the board finalizes a date, she will begin to reach out to artists and begin preparations for the festival.
Festival participation has steadily declined since the late 90s.
In 2010, then TFAC executive director Lucy Hollis, told MTA that there would be around 150 exhibitors at the 42nd festival. They never materialized. Only 24 artists and craftsmen manned booths at the event. And despite good weather, few of the public were drawn to the show.
In 2009 there were less than 40 artists at the event. Although the number of artists has never exceeded 100 during the last 20 years, it did hover around 70 until recent years.
PHOTO: © 2010. Russel Mobley/MTA.
