The I.D.E.A. Store is back with its third annual Hatch Festival, a creative-reuse art festival. The two-week-long festival is up and running and will continue until Saturday, March 14.
Hatch, like The I.D.E.A. Store, focuses on creativity, reused and recycled materials, and education among local schools. The store is operated by the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF).
“One of the primary goals of The I.D.E.A. Store is education about the concept and importance of reuse. Making it fun, relevant and interesting is key to changing some of our wasteful habits,” said Gail Rost, co-founder of the store and co-chair of Hatch.
Hatch is Rost’s self-described “brainchild.” It started out as Trash2011, a small show involving a billboard fence art installation in Downtown Champaign (where the Hyatt is now located). This small show has expanded quite a bit over the years.
“Fortunately, I have other creative people who are just as nuts about this as I am,” said Rost, “so they have joined me in the effort as volunteers — particularly Melissa Mitchell, a local reuse artist who knew the whole fair side of things. One thing led to another, and the additional events were born.”
Among the additional events are:
The Hatch Trashion Show
The Trashion Show is basically exactly what it sounds like — a fashion show where models wear outfits and accessories made by designers out of materials that most people consider trash.
Here, 22 local and regional artists — including Cindy Sampson, Gretchen Winkler, and Katie Winkler — display their art that is made from at least 75 percent reused, recycled and/or repurposed materials.
Like reusable and recycled art that is promoted by Hatch and The I.D.E.A. Store, everything about this festival is intentional, from the workshops to the partnerships.
“This community is ripe for fun things to do, and this Festival fills a niche. We do it in a bleak time of year, keep it simple and inexpensive, and spread over time so that the same audience can attend multiple events.”
Check out some Hatch events this year. You might also want to think twice about whatever it is you’re about to throw out; you could use it in next year’s Hatch Art Exhibition.
For more information about Hatch and the I.D.E.A. Store, check out their website.
Photos courtesy of Melissa Mitchell