Via Colori is a street painting festival held in several cities in the United States to raise funds for not-for-profit organizations.
01 · What it is
Painting
Visual storytelling with pigment on walls, cloth scrolls, paper, floors, or wood.
02 · Where & name
United States of America
Placed on record in United States of America.
03 · How it is doing
□□□□ (Not yet assessed)
Documented in open cultural records, but no cited field assessment of its current vitality has been added here yet.
04 · Proof & reuse
2 cited sources
Every claim links to a public record below. Free to quote, teach, and share under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Chapter Takeaways
HistoryStreet painting was first recorded in Italy in the 16th century when artists would paint religious icons in the courtyards of cathedrals.
FestivalsAccording to Via Colori's website, "more than 100 Via Coloris have been held in 14 cities." Cities that have previously hosted a Via Colori festival include Fredericksburg, Virginia; Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Harrisburg,…
ArtistsOne artist is featured amongst the volunteer artists who draw in each Via Colori.
Common Questions Answered on Record
What is Via Colori in plain words?
Via Colori is a street painting festival held in several cities in the United States to raise funds for not-for-profit organizations.
Where is Via Colori practised or documented?
Sources on this page place Via Colori in United States of America.
What is the current condition of Via Colori today?
□□□□ (Not yet assessed): Documented in open cultural records, but no cited field assessment of its current vitality has been added here yet.
How do I cite or share this Via Colori entry?
Cite as: "Via Colori." folkroom, https://folkroom.org/art-forms/via-colori, text CC BY-SA, with attribution.
Via Colori is a street painting festival held in several cities in the United States to raise funds for not-for-profit organizations. Hundreds of artists, usually sponsored by a business or individual, gather and create large-scale artworks on the street using chalk. After expenses, the money raised goes to the not-for-profit organization to help further its mission. 1
History
Street painting was first recorded in Italy in the 16th century when artists would paint religious icons in the courtyards of cathedrals. Known as "madonnari", these artists were "the visual arts counterpart of minstrels" and would most commonly paint icons of the Madonna. Street painting festivals are now held throughout the world.
In 1994, Via Colori was founded by author, playwright, and performer Rick Compton in Naples, Florida. Via Colori is owned, supported, and licensed by Compton and is licensable by any not-for-profit with a widely supported mission. 1
Festivals
According to Via Colori's website, "more than 100 Via Coloris have been held in 14 cities." Cities that have previously hosted a Via Colori festival include Fredericksburg, Virginia; Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Glendale, Arizona; Sandestin, Florida; and Houston, Texas. They are hosted by "beneficiary hosts", 501(c)(3) organizations that license Via Colori and coordinate the festival to further its mission. 1
Artists
One artist is featured amongst the volunteer artists who draw in each Via Colori. They are typically well-known in the field and usually create a larger square artwork.
Artists may be full-time professional artists, "talented hobbyists," or "art enthusiasts." Occasionally squares will be painted together, such as in a family or school group. 1
The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Via Colori”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. 1
Via Colori is recorded in open cultural data. The structured record cited below does not describe the practice, and this entry has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. 2
The source record links this tradition to 1 external register, which can be verified through the citation. 2