HISTORIC SHAW ART FAIR SET FOR OCTOBER 1 & 2 2005 IN ST. LOUIS

FEBRUARY 21, 2005, St. Louis, Missouri … The not-for-profit Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association (SNIA) today announced that the 13th Annual Historic Shaw Art Fair & Community Festival will be held the weekend of October 1-2, 2005.

The Historic Shaw Art Fair, a nationally renowned juried exhibition featuring more than 120 artists from across the United States, plus food, entertainment and live music, will occur along two blocks of Flora Place, a lovely, tree-lined boulevard between the world-famous Missouri Botanical Garden and Grand Boulevard.

Mary Samuelson, SNIA president, said, "We expect the 2005 Historic Shaw Art Fair to attract a bigger audience than last year due to new additions and changes that we believe will make the fair an even greater event than in the past. Attendance has increased significantly since the fair’s inception in 1993 and more people are aware of the event’s artistic significance and family-friendly entertainment appeal."

This year, participating artists at the Historic Shaw Art Fair will exhibit work in painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, printmaking, glass, wood and mixed media, and prizes will be awarded in the juried exhibition. In addition, there will be more arts activities specifically for children than in previous years.

Approximately 10,000 people of all ages attended last year’s Historic Shaw Art Fair, which is ranked among the top 25 art fairs in the nation by art industry publications and artists who attend different fairs. In 1999, about 5,200 people attended.

"In addition to showcasing the diverse appeal of the Shaw neighborhood, which has experienced a tremendous renaissance and new development in recent years, we estimate that last year’s Historic Shaw Art Fair generated an economic impact of approximately $1 million in the city of St. Louis," Samuelson said.

The not-for-profit SNIA has served Shaw neighborhood residents since 1958 and organizes the Historic Shaw Art Fair with help from volunteers. More than 7,500 people in 3,700 households live in the Shaw neighborhood, which is bounded by Grand Boulevard on the east, Tower Grove Park on the south, the Missouri Botanical Garden on the west and I-44 on the north. SNIA also promotes historic renovation, new construction, safety and neighborhood business development from offices at 2211 South 39th Street.

Each year, SNIA donates a portion of revenues generated by the Historic Shaw Art Fair to schools and non-profit organizations that serve the neighborhood.

For information about the Historic Shaw Art Fair or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, call 314.771.3101 or visit the website www.shawartfair.com. Media contact: Jeff Dunlap @ PowerlinePR @ 314.721.5505.

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