You may think that the biggest race in Louisville is the Kentucky Derby held each May, but the first weekend in October each year holds a race of its own. For the past 56 years, the St. James Court Art Fair in Old Louisville has drawn in artists and is considered the best art show in the nation by some. Every year it draws 750 artists from around the country and over 300,000 people. Popular as the St. James Fair is, for the past 13 years, 20 local artists have staged a competitive fair in the parking lot of the Magnolia Bar. Started in protest of the high $450 entrance fee for artists at the St. James Fair, the Unfair draws a smaller crowd of fiercely loyal fans and features local artists.
Though the events are staged on a completely different scale, 30,000 readers of the Louisville Eccentric Observer (aka LEO Weekly) voted the two fairs as the top two art fairs in Louisville. Considering that Louisville hosts many great art shows, that is a pretty interesting outcome - but one that is typical of Louisville where independence is a proud civic virtue.
Origins of St. James Court Art Fair
This year, both fairs will be held from October 5-7, in Old Louisville, an area of the citycharacterized by the largest collection of Victorian buildings in the country. Once a stomping ground for the wealthy, the buildings with elegant stained-glass windows and quirky spires deteriorated and fell into disrepair, while the area became a haven for drugs and crime. The beautiful fountain in the area needed repair. To raise funds for this and other neighborhood projects the St. James Court Association President, Malcolm Bird, stage a small art exhibit. It was open to all artists, who exhibited their work on clotheslines divan between the trees. The proceeds were modest, but the show became an annual event.
Perhaps due to the show, by 1960, the area grabbed the attention of activists,
spearheaded by Courier- Journal writer J. Douglass Nunn, who renovated 10 homes in St. James Court. The effort spread, so by 1975 the area was named a historic preservation district.
The St. James show has expanded from the corner of St. James Court to neighboring Belgravia courts and parts of Magnolia, 3rd and 4th streets. As it grew more prominent, the show attracted artists from beyond the region. It became a juried show, recognized nationwide, with a focus on handmade art. As the revenue generated by the show increased, the proceeds were used to fund scholarships for art students. In conjunction with Old Louisville neighborhood associations and other donors, this year's show is offering $23,500 in scholarships. This show will also reveal the winning design for a new entrance to the court.
The Competing Unfair
As noble as are the intentions of the St. James show, many local artists felt that the show had become too corporate and two dominated by nonlocal contributors. Paul Harshaw and Greg Edward started the competitive fair in 1999. Artists who did not want to pay the fee to enter St. James sold their wares outside the fair until 2009 when the city imposed a fee on these art vendors. The fair then settled into the Bar parking lot near the main fair.
The presence of the two competing fairs is an interesting commentary on the dynamics of development in modern Louisville. As Louisville becomes more gentrified with projects such as NuLu, the reality remains that Louisville has working-class roots. Locals love their neighborhoods and want restoration, but don't want to be left out of development plan and pushed out by affluent newcomers.
Old Louisville Now
Old Louisville is currently in neighborhood with a diverse mix of students, young professionals, and trendy types who love the neighborhood culture. It is represented by 13 neighborhood associations, which hold events throughout the year to bring people into the neighborhood to see its stately restored Victorian buildings and walk the largest collection of pedestrian only streets in the country. With rising housing prices and decreasing crime rates, the neighborhood has attracted new restaurants and shops that draw traffic year-round.
The influx of attention and outside money has helped Old Louisville, but the but the voices of protest, as represented by promoters of the Unfair, who use an upside down fleur-de-lis as their symbol, keep us aware of Louisville's vibrant past.
Looking for a house with history? There are great housing values in Old Louisville and throughout Louisville I'm Jessica Gaines of Louisville Gaines Real Estate. Give me a call so you can be part of the emerging history of this exciting neighborhood.
P.S. Going to the St. James Art Fair or the Unfair? Parking is tight at these events, so TARC is running shuttles from the parking garage of the Brown Hotel, you can get an all-day parking and bus pass. There are also fair free trolleys that can drop you near the show. TARC Routes 2, 4 and 27 serve stops near the festival area and offer a third car free alternative. You can get more information about bus service to the fair by calling. 585-1234, or visit TARC’s website at www.ridetarc.org.
Picture credits: Humpty Dumpty St. James Court Art Fair
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