MAKERS FAIR partners with SRAC to expand, build on community endeavors

In just three years, the Texas Avenue Makers Fair, Nov. 9, has become one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the community. Held twice a year, artists, craftspeople and shoppers prepare for weeks in advance to buy and sell some of the most unique and sought-after items in the region.

“It is a great event to meet and socialize with local artists that you may not have known were even here,” said artist Courtney Gaston of Courtney Gaston Art (courtneygastonart.com), who will participate in the Makers Fair for the third time. “And even if you don’t buy anything, the atmosphere is energetic and welcoming.”

The term “maker” describes anyone who creates, a person who turns an idea into a completed piece of work. “The first Makers Fair was held over two consecutive Saturdays in the fall of 2010. Greg and Teresa Juneau, [Texas Avenue Community Association] members and lent their covered parking garage, which houses the Makers Fair,” according to the TACA website, texasave.org.

The Makers Fair is a project of the TACA, an organization dedicated to the revitalization of the historic Texas Avenue corridor and its adjacent neighborhoods. The Makers Fair, located at the corner of Texas Avenue and Common Street, is one way – now a very popular way – to draw the community to this under-utilized section of downtown Shreveport, and any proceeds from the Makers Fair benefit TACA.

“I love that area, and I think it has a lot of potential,” Gaston said. “The Texas Avenue area, especially during the Makers Fair, reminds me a lot of a communitytype location.”

Makers Fair Coordinator Kelly McSwain, who got involved with TACA when she moved to Shreveport from California three years ago, said although the fair is a fundraiser for TACA, raising owners of Credit Bureau of the South, money is secondary to its function as a communitybuilding endeavor.

However, since TACA teamed with the Shreveport Regional Arts Council to produce the Makers Fair, they anticipate raising more money than they ever have before.

“I’m really interested in art, and that’s what drew me to it,” McSwain said of her involvement with the Makers Fair. To that end, it’s important to her and TACA that the Makers Fair remains accessible to all artists. Booth costs are $20 to $30, and Gaston said that, unlike some other, similar fairs, there’s not a large amount of red tape involved.

“The organizers are very easy to deal with, and I don’t find myself bogged down with paperwork in order to participate,” she said. McSwain said this easygoing approach makes the fair so popular with artists that organizers don’t have to do much in the way of recruitment – this time around, they sold out of booths in 12 hours.

Although there are some fan favorites at the Texas Avenue Makers Fair – Burning Corazon (Dia de los Muertos art, hair fascinators and hats), Zombee Candles (locally-made, hand-poured soy candles) and Pam’s Homemade Soaps (olive oil spa soaps), to name just three – McSwain said they try to keep things fresh. “We always have new artists every single Makers Fair,” she said. “We pride ourselves on 30 percent new artists every time.”

Originally planned to be an annual event, a spring Makers Fair was added at the continuous urging of both vendors and shoppers. And while many shoppers wish the fair took place more often than twice a year, both McSwain and Gaston indicated the biannual schedule is more beneficial to artists on a practical level. McSwain said, “A lot of the artists have full-time jobs and couldn’t make enough art for more than twice a year.”

Gaston, who works with vintage book pages as a background for her artwork, added, “I have participated in various shows between here and Fort Worth. Fort Worth has a very active art community and lots of events for artists to sell their work, but I’ve found that Shreveport’s limited market has really created a rush for artwork at events like the Makers Fair. People here are hungry for opportunities to buy local art.”

This year’s fall Makers Fair, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 9, promises to be the best one yet. Thanks to the partnership with SRAC, “It’s going to be a lot bigger,” McSwain said.

There will be more than 200 booths for shoppers to peruse, along with live music and the ever-popular food trucks. Afterward, SRAC and UNSCENE! will host a drive-in movie in the parking lot behind First United Methodist Church of Shreveport.

It’s important to remember that while the Makers Fair supports TACA, shoppers will also support local artists in a very tangible way.

“It is very much a grass roots organization,” Gaston said, “And by supporting it, you are directly supporting the artists involved. You will see things that you won’t see at the larger art festivals.”

The fall Makers Fair is located at the corner of Texas Avenue and Common Street, and there is plenty of parking available near the site, but nevertheless, comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended. Many of the vendors are able to process debit and credit cards, but McSwain recommended shoppers bring some cash, just in case. There will also be an ATM on-site. Delicious food and drinks will be available for purchase. For more information, visit texasavemakersfair. com. •