Presented annually every spring by 40 North | 88 West, the Boneyard Arts Festival is a three-day event showcasing the broad range of creative activity flourishing in our community. Its goal is to bring together local artists, businesses and organizations for a special event showcasing the art of Champaign County.
All Boneyard Arts Festival venue listings:
Print A Boneyard Quick Guide!
Celebrating Past Boneyard Artists & Venues
Gallery of Previous Boneyard Arts Festivals
About the Boneyard Arts Festival
More than a traditional arts walk, the Boneyard is a unique countywide celebration that takes place in a wide variety of venues (over 90!) — both traditional (theaters, cafes, galleries & museums) and non-traditional (salons & retail stores) — and features the work of literally hundreds of artists. Sculptors, weavers, painters, photographers and other visual artists join musicians, actors, dancers, poets and performers of all kinds in sharing their creativity throughout Champaign, Urbana, U of I Campus, Rantoul, Homer, Mahomet, St. Joseph and Sidney. The festival stimulates cultural, economic, social and educational growth by providing an opportunity for people of every age, background and interest to participate.
Goals
- Provide opportunities for artists of all disciplines, media, and levels of expertise to share and sell their work with the greater community and its visitors.
- Demonstrate the value of collaboration among individuals, organizations, and businesses.
- Illuminate the economic impact of the arts on local businesses.
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing art to increase foot traffic in and around participating venues, as well as to enhance the environment in public and private spaces.
- Promote the cultural vibrancy of our community – a great place to live and visit.
- Bring students, residents, and visitors together through the arts.
- Provide an occasion, through the arts, to both express and reflect upon who and what we are as individuals and as a community.
- Celebrate the many unique cultural traditions within Champaign county.
The Boneyard Facebook group is an interactive tool intended to connect all artists and venues to make plans for the festival.
Kelly White
Executive Director
kwhite@40north.org
