On public display: Queen City participates in worldwide art festival

The 2023 Terrain Biennial Staunton is a pop-up art exhibition taking place in yards, under-utilized spaces and other public venues around the city.

Staunton Outside Arts (SOA) will host the exhibition from October 1 through November 15, 2023.

A grassroots public art festival, the exhibition brings artists and neighbors together to put public art on front lawns, porches, windows and rooftops of neighborhoods across the world. The festival happens every other year, and this is the second time that Staunton Outside Arts has participated.

“Art in public space is a catalyst for dialogue about what’s on people’s mind, what they care about, and, ideally, it’s an unexpected element of surprise and play in people’s daily lives,” said Drea Howenstein, co-founder of Staunton Outside Arts and Hunt Gallery director at Mary Baldwin University. “Given the many crises of our time, art is an essential catalyst for nurturing social sustainability, and it uplifts members of our community who are doing innovative and inspiring things every day.”

SOA is an initiative bringing creative projects to neighborhoods and open spaces around the greater Staunton area.

The organization hosts a yearly festival where artists, curators and local residents work together to create art installations that engage the public in dialogue with daily life and our regional history, culture, ecology and topography.

“Through my work in the arts in Staunton, I’ve seen firsthand the power art has to forge communities and bridge divides by encouraging new modes of thinking and promoting productive conversations,” said Angus Carter, co-founder of Staunton Outside Arts and executive director of the Staunton-Augusta Art Center. “Terrain Biennial is a great project to grow that experience outside of a gallery setting by taking artwork to individual neighborhoods.”

Carter believes Biennial Terrain has something for everyone.

“I think everyone should come out and see this. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors, experience the community at-large and experience art on your own terms.”

Terrain Biennial Staunton will include happenings and events, such as PechaKucha Staunton: Terrain Biennial Edition on Wednesday, October 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Ciders from Mars, and workshops and performances at sites throughout the six weeks.