Cleveland Museum of Art hosts annual Chalk Festival featuring art activities for all ages (photos)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Hundreds of artists of all ages and skill levels filled the streets – I mean sidewalks – around the Cleveland Museum of Art, as its grounds were transformed into a colorful canvas of sidewalk art on Saturday during the first day of the 36th annual Chalk Festival.

The event runs from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine, inviting participants of all ages and abilities to create alongside professional chalk artists and community groups. The museum’s south plaza, Fine Arts Garden walkways, and Wade Lagoon area serves as the backdrop for this community art celebration.

“Community programs like Chalk Festival are a beautiful example of nurturing creativity and exchanging ideas,” said Jordan Jiménez, director of community arts, on their website. “I hope we all can take a moment to appreciate one another and strengthen our sense of belonging.”

This year’s festival includes new accessibility features through a partnership with Akron Children’s Hospital. The hospital’s Expressive Therapy team will offer mindful drawing exercises in the garden, while the museum’s mobile art van Studio Go will install “Chalk Village,” a three-dimensional drawing space designed for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.

The Chalk Festival draws inspiration from a Renaissance tradition where 16th-century Italian artists created chalk reproductions of Madonna paintings by Raphael and contemporaries on cathedral plazas.

Visitors wishing to create their own chalk art can purchase pavement squares at the registration tent: $15 for a small square with 12 chalk pastels or $20 for a large square with 24 chalk pastels. No reservations are required, and admission is free for those who simply want to enjoy the artwork.

The museum reserves the right to cover works containing political messages, hate speech, or content inappropriate for a family event.

For more information about the Cleveland Museum of Art and its programs, call 888- CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.