The New Territory Arts Association has been celebrating the diversity of the Benton Harbor Arts District for two full decades this year, but nowhere is that diversity more evident than at the association's annual flagship event known the region over as Artoberfest. This year's event may well be the biggest and best ever and it's less than two weeks away now.
Artoberfest is NTAA's celebration of the region's art, culture and community spirit. Designed to bring everyone together, Artoberfest play an important role in shaping the future of arts in the community at large. The annual celebration is part art show, part music festival, and part craft beer & local wine event.
The purpose of the New Territory Arts Association is to fund professional artists that train young performers in some of their first public performances. They bring in regional singers and songwriters, many of your favorite local foods and the best of the region's craft beer and wine. It is an event that accurately summarizes the spirit, creativity and livelihood of the community.
Beyond the festival, Artoberfest is also a testament to exceptional volunteerism, the spirit of giving and the development of artistic excellence. Money raised during Artoberfest allows the NTAA to affect change throughout the year by funding access to arts education and developing programs and sponsorships that promote creative and academic growth.
The event is the crown jewel of the association's annual programming and is the single most important event to the organization's continued operation. They encourage everyone to not only attend, but to invite others who don't understand Benton Harbor and don't know about the area's transformation relative to the arts. There is something for everyone at the event.
Artoberfest 2016 is slated for Saturday, September 17th and will mark the 10th consecutive year of a great festival in the Benton Harbor Arts District. You can find the event at the corner of 5th and Park Streets in downtown Benton Harbor beginning at noon that day. The full schedule of events is in the graphic shown below:
