Voting for Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show begins Friday

One of Niwot's greatest assets is its rich dedication to the arts and this Friday provides yet another opportunity to get involved. The "Why Not Niwot?" Juried Art Show is underway with a chance for Niwot residents to vote for their favorite piece of work.

The Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) website describes the event: "Each year local and regional artists submit works depicting the look, feel, and/or essence of the Niwot community, a vibrant and vintage Colorado town on the Front Range." The NCAA sponsors the event with financial support from the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID).

Artists were invited to submit their entries by June 21 with selected artists dropping off their works at Osmosis Gallery on June 26 to be judged. People's Choice voting opens on July 5 at the First Friday Art Walk from 5:00-9:00 p.m. and continues through August.

A passport ballot can be picked up from Osmosis, or any other participating businesses where the art will be displayed including Wise Buys Antiques, Niwot Wheel Works, Fly Away Home Decor, The Old Oak Coffeehouse, Niwot Inn & Spa, Little Bird, Niwot Jewelry & Gifts, Few of a Kind, and Inkberry Books.

Passport ballots must be completed by visiting all businesses in order to cast a vote for People's Choice, and can be returned at any of the locations where passports are available. Voting closes August 31.

The winners of "Why Not Niwot?" will be announced at the September First Friday Art Walk, held at Osmosis Gallery on 2nd Avenue on Friday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m., with an artist's reception at the former feed store across the street.

There will be two first place winners, one selected by the jury, earning the grand prize of $500, and the other the People's Choice winner, with the artist earning $100. The art show jury will also award one second place winner and a cash award of $250, and one third place winner with a cash award of $100. In addition to the monetary prize, the juried art show winning art will be used to market Niwot's First Friday Art Walk, with prints, cards and wine labels of the winning artwork.

Osmosis Gallery has sponsored the Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show since its inception and is "dedicated to showcasing the talent and creativity of Colorado artists."