The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival at 50
Photo courtesy of Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, Inc.
Florida Show Attracts Over 100,000
A festival designed to include arts, crafts, music, theatrical performances, and a children’s area is that and much more 50 years later.
The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival (GGAF) is celebrating its 50th anniversary Nov. 4-6, at Seville Square in Pensacola, Florida. “I believe what sets GGAF apart from other festivals and events is that after 50 years, we remain an all-volunteer event. The committee has members still involved that were part of its inception and volunteers that return year after year. It’s this dedication and ownership that makes our event special,” said Anna Dyess, this year’s co-chair.
Claudine Kriss, a past co-chair and chair, has been a member of the festival’s committee since 2004. “The actual festival committee — made up of 25 individual committees — is comprised of about 80 people. Another hundred or more people, including Navy personnel, volunteer to help with setup and teardown, relief for artists, and work in beverage booths,” she said.
This juried fine art show features about 200 artists from throughout the country and one international artist, Kriss said. More than 600 artists apply each year. They must submit images of their work.
Those chosen for the show compete for a total of $25,000 in prize money, in categories that include ceramics, drawing, fiber/leather, glass, jewelry, mixed media, oil/acrylic, photography, printmaking/graphics, sculpture, watercolor, and wood. Best of Show, Awards of Distinction, Awards of Excellence, Awards of Honor, and Awards of Merit winners from the previous year’s festival are exempt from the jurying process.
Kriss said the festival also includes a Heritage Arts Show featuring about 55 craftspeople demonstrating their art, a children’s festival featuring student art, numerous booths where children can make their own art, and three days of music ranging from blue grass to classical, dance, and theatrical performances.
A recent addition to the festival is the Emerging Artists program. “Each year, two local artists who have never participated in a juried festival before, but are interested in learning the ropes, are chosen to show their work,” Kriss said. “The festival provides the tent and mentors for the artists to guide them through the process. They are also allowed to apply for the following year’s festival without having to pay a jury fee, although their work does have to be juried along with all other applicants.”
Attendance at the festival has grown to more than 100,000 people each year, with a substantial percentage coming from out of town, Kriss said. Visit Pensacola estimates the festival adds about $10 million to the local economy, she said.
This event is the result of Pensacola’s preparation in the early 1970s for the country’s bicentennial celebration. Kriss said the committee’s primary goal was to provide art, music, and drama for all ages and tastes.
Initially known as Festival Fever Days, total expenses in 1973 were $10,845 and covered by fees and advertising, she said. Total expenses in 2021 were more than $171,000.
In 1974, the Fine Arts Council of Florida presented the Pensacola Arts Council with $2,500 to sponsor the festival, Kriss said. Two years later, the festival was renamed the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival. It expanded to a three-day event in 1983.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Dyess said they weighed their options and decided to cancel that year’s event. “I think the year off allowed us to come back and reevaluate how we function as a festival,” she said. “We increased hand-washing stations and removed several booth spaces to make the pathway among the booths more spacious. We have returned some of those booths this year but will keep a reduced number to make the show feel more open.”
Kathy Dunagan, chair of the 50th committee, said the celebration of this year’s anniversary includes the Pensacola Museum of History hosting a special exhibit through January. “The exhibit will highlight milestones of the festival throughout the 50 years and will have a focus on that it has always been an all-volunteer festival since 1973 and still is in 2022,” she said.
On Nov. 5, the “Celebrating 50 Years of Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival Concert” featuring Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart is being held. “This will be a free concert for our community as a thank you for supporting and loving the festival for 50 years!” Dunagan said.
How Artists Are Chosen for the Festival
Anna Dyess shared what applicants should know about applying to the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival. A blind jury process is used. She said two paid jurors/judges are selected each year to jury the show remotely and then judge the show in person. “This allows the two individuals to curate a show and then select those artists whose work stands out to them,” Dyess said. “As we have no paid staff, the jurors bear the burden of selecting the artists and allow the committee to be removed from the process.”
First-time applicants are as likely to be chosen as veteran applicants are. Dyess said this is because of the blind jury process. “Each year, we select two new jurors that come in with fresh eyes to select the artists and build a beautiful, balanced show,” she said.
Past exhibitors are encouraged to apply again. “We would love to have them back with us! One of the things I most love about our festival is that we love our artists and are always glad to have them back with us,” Dyess said. “Returning artists can expect the same well-run show they have always known.”