Ann Arbor Art Fair to debut international exhibit of prisoners isolated during COVID-19

Downtown Ann Arbor becomes an outdoor gallery every July when the Ann Arbor Art Fair rolls around.

The massive gathering spanning nearly 30 blocks draws nearly half a million visitors and is slated for July 21-23. This year, the event will include artwork from prisoners isolated during COVID-19 in an exhibit called We Bear.

We Bear features work from 31 artists imprisoned in the U.S. and U.K., drawing parallels between bears in captivity and being incarcerated during a global pandemic. The Prison Creative Arts Project, which is based at the Univesity of Michigan, was a partner in the We Bear project which was originally a one-off exhibit in the U.K. that drew more than 50,000 visitors. The Ann Arbor Art Fair will mark the exhibit’s international debut.

“We work year-round to make this fair the best it can be for the artists, attendees and the city of Ann Arbor, and this year is already shaping up to be incredible all around,” Karen Delhey, executive director of the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair said in a press release. “We have artists representing every medium under the sun, international art exhibits and talented musicians coming to our wonderful city for a weekend dedicated to embracing and celebrating creativity.”

The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a combination of the Ann Arbor Street Fair The Original, Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, and Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair. In total, the event will feature nearly 1,000 artists from across the country with live music, food, and artist demonstrations.

The Ann Arbor Art Fair runs 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, July 21 and Friday, July 22; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, July 23. For more information, including a map, full schedule, and where to park, visit theannarborartfair.com.

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