Press release from the Innovia Foundation:
Spokane, Wash. – Art on the Green has been a highlight of the summer season in Coeur d’Alene for over 55 years, bringing together artists, musicians and performers for free entertainment, handcrafted works of art, food and drink, and family-friendly activities.
This year, in recognition of Innovia Foundation’s 50th Anniversary theme of “Celebrating Community,” the Foundation is investing in free and low-cost events and opportunities, like Art on the Green, that bring people together. As part of this investment, Innovia is proud to sponsor the 2024 celebration, organized by the Citizens’ Council for the Arts to gather the community around a shared love of art.
The 56th year of Art on the Green will take place Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4 on the grounds of North Idaho College (NIC) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day. The event’s all-volunteer team has planned an exciting lineup of free activities, including music and cultural performances, handcrafted works of art for purchase, a beer garden, a food court, an outdoor Juried Art Show and a Children’s Art Garden for children of all ages to enjoy.
For more information about the event schedule, visit artonthegreencda.com.
A founder of Citizens’ Council for the Arts, Sue Flammia worked on Art on the Green since its inception. Before her passing in 2015, she once said, “Art on the Green is a great place to be together. There we are the best we can be — creative, peaceful and harmonious people of all ages coming together to celebrate each other, the arts and community.”
Art on the Green has a rich history dating back to 1968, when the first Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival in Coeur d’Alene was held on the Rotary tennis courts. The unshaded black tops and 100-degree heat caused one of the paintings to melt and buckle. In response, the festival was moved to the pine-filled grounds of NIC in 1970, where the new colors of the landscape inspired the festival’s new moniker “Art on the Green.”
As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, Innovia actively seeks opportunities to enrich communities by promoting vibrant and accessible experiences in arts and culture.
“Communities that value and support the arts inspire an environment where creativity can flourish,” says Shelly O’Quinn, CEO of Innovia Foundation. “We are proud to sponsor such a historic and beloved festival that celebrates the unifying power of art in our community.”
“We appreciate Innovia’s sponsorship of the main stage this year,” says Art on theGreen volunteer Anne Solomon. “We had to pay to rent a stage since a windstorm destroyed NIC’s existing structure in 2021. This support allows us to focus more resources on children’s art activities. We are so thankful for the support of Innovia and our community!”
Innovia’s investment in Art on the Green is part of a series of events and activities Innovia is gifting to communities across Eastern Washington and North Idaho in celebration of the Foundation’s 50th Anniversary in 2024. More information about these events can be found at innovia.org/fifty.
