Cottonwood Art Festival
Presents ArtBeat
An Art Education Outreach Program

The ArtBeat Program is designed to encourage school-age children’s participation in the visual arts. Its popularity with the students has spread to their teachers and to Cottonwood’s participating artists. Through presentations, contests, workshops, exhibits, artist receptions and internship programs ArtBeat has extended the visual arts to our community. Cottonwood is dedicated to educating and exposing Richardson and the entire Dallas metroplex to the visual arts.

Visiting Artist Program was designed to bring the artist from Cottonwood into the RISD classrooms to give presentations which not only helps with our art education goals, but brings the community a little closer to those artists who exhibit at our festival. Within the past year, more than 50 artists have participated in this program and overall more than 300 presentations have benefited over 7,500 students. Click here for the Artist Application form.

For those art teachers in RISD, the program invites Cottonwood artists to volunteer their time and talent to give presentations and demonstrations in your classroom. The artist visits will take place during the three-week period preceding the Cottonwood Art Festival. These visits are extremely popular, so please get your scheduling request in early! Click here for the Teacher Application form.

Art at the Eisemann is an exhibit held each April and September in the Forrest and Virginia Green Mezzanine/Gallery area of the Eisemann Center. This event introduces the community to the exhibiting artists and their work. The exhibit promotes Cottonwood and enhances the atmosphere in the Eisemann. An artist reception is given and serves as an invitation to preview the show and promotion for the exhibiting artist and the festival. Artists who exhibit usually find the experience to be most rewarding, as they tend to have their best show ever!

Annual Art Contest during the fall show enables the community, young and old an opportunity to participate in the festival.

ArtStop Children’s Area is the area of the festival that provides hands-on art activities for children of all ages as well as a stage featuring family interactive entertainment. Over the past several years the kids have been able to do clay, batiks, plaster casting, papermaking, collage, beading, sculpture hats and more! ArtStop has quickly become a very important feature of the festival, with children anticipating and looking forward to its return each spring and fall.

Professional Internship Program provides a high school student the opportunity to gain a realistic insight into the special event profession. It increases self-confidence, individual skills and community awareness. The intern will assume different responsibilities and experience several special events coordinated within the Community Events office.