Northeast Iowa Artists' Studio Tour application deadline is February 28

The 17th annual Northeast Iowa Artists' Studio Tour (NIAST Inc.) applications to exhibit are now available to area artists. For an application PDF or more information go to www.iowaarttour.com  and click on the events/news tab or contact Darla or Glen Ellickson at darla@earloops.com or 563-382-2295.
The 2014 Tour takes place October 3-5. Studios are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Media considered is limited to Fine Art and Fine Craft, including painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, clay/ceramics, wood, glass, metal, printmaking, mixed media, handmade paper, fiber, etc. as appropriate at Fine Art Fairs. All works must be original in concept and design and must have been executed by the applicant. Works from molds or kits, commercial or manufactured items, and buy/sell are not permitted.
Tour exhibitors qualify as "fine artists," meaning, "They possess the skill to expand and adapt even a high-end craft with individual vision." Artist's applications for tour entry are juried, and participants are selected for their work's technique, quality and vision, and studios must reside within 40 miles of Decorah. Postmark deadline for submitting an application is February 28.
The self-guided Tour is specially timed to enjoy the fall color and travels along winding gravel roads, for a behind-the-scenes view into the Artists' personal workspace. The 2013 Tour featured 51 artists at 39 locations.
An estimated 2,000-2,500 visitors annually from as many as 15 states and two countries have been reported as attending past Tours. According to the Travel Association of America, cultural travelers spend more per trip than the average U.S. traveler. The Studio Tour brings economic benefit to the entire northeast Iowa area.
Participating in this event features inclusion of color photos of artwork and contact information in top full-color posters and 20,000-30,000 brochures, complete with detailed map with GPS coordinates to studio locations. These brochures are distributed in many ways, including being personally handed-out by the touring Artists throughout the country; through a bulk-mailing of nearly 9,000 brochures to the pre-qualified mailing lists of the Artists; to special requests to area Tourism venues; and from the Tour drawing cards requesting information.
This free-to-the–public event is self-supporting, funded by artist entry fees, sponsors, grants, donations, and advertising businesses. Anyone interested in supporting area Tourism and the Arts by becoming a sponsor or advertiser, or a "friend of the Arts", may contact Glen Ellickson at 563-382-2295.
Brochures for the 2014 Tour will be available in May. To obtain a brochure with the Tour map or for other area Tourism information, call Winneshiek County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 563-382-2023 or 1-800-463-4692 or e-mail tour@iowaarttour.com. For more complete information about the artists and ongoing events, view the official Tour website at www.iowaarttour.com.