Art in the Park 2020

Moving to an Online Marketplace

It is with a heavy heart and deep concern for our community that I let you know today that the Boise Art Museum’s 66th annual Art in the Park will not take place in Julia Davis Park in September, 2020. Art in the Park is BAM’s most significant single source of revenue. It sustains BAM’s non-profit operations including exhibitions, collections, and educational programs for the year.

Given the importance of this event to participants and to the Museum, we are excited to announce that we are working fervently to create an all-new, virtual, BAM Art in the Park Marketplace. Watch for more details, coming soon.

This decision did not come lightly. We consulted with our participating artists, food vendors, partners, sponsors, and relevant authorities regarding the possibility of holding the event in the park this year, and we are grateful to all who have continued to be willing to participate with us. After giving every possible scenario significant thought, with your health and safety as our priority, we have determined that we cannot convene tens of thousands of people for our event. Due to insurmountable logistical challenges, we have no choice but to shift focus to a virtual event. Factors included in our decision were:

Central District Health’s restriction on outdoor/indoor events of more than 50 people in Ada County;

City of Boise’s standard timeline for approval and issuance of a public event permit, which takes place the week of the event – they have advised us that it is unlikely they will issue the event permit;

complications related to travel quarantine requirements; and

other continued restrictions and conditions outside of our control, including the upward trajectory of COVID-19 cases in the Northwest.

While we will not be together in person, we look forward to continued collaboration and community building online! The Art in the Park Marketplace, built from the ground up, will help artists whose livelihoods have been diminished by the cancellation of so many fairs and festivals this season, and will help sustain BAM during these uncertain times. We hope very much that you will join us online to support and celebrate the fantastic participating artists, as well as the Boise Art Museum.

BAM’s Art in the Park has become a cornerstone of Boise’s autumn cultural calendar, which brings the community together to create an unparalleled artistic energy and economic activity in Julia Davis Park. BAM’s Staff, Trustees, and Volunteers, who make Art in the Park possible each year, remain dedicated to providing you with a creative and meaningful alternative.

I will write again in the coming weeks with updates on our developments. We look forward to staying in touch.

With continued gratitude,

Melanie Fales

Executive Director/CEO