The Art Break Day Guide

Photographs from Art Break Day

This online Art Break Day Guide was created to assist artists, organizations, and communities as they create their own Art Break Day event from the ground up.

First question: Are you registered? If not, go here first.

We have separated our step-by-step guide into sections and in the order we think is best to tackle this amazing event you will be hosting for your community. By the way, GO YOU! Virtual high five comin’ your way. You are making your community a better place by offering a chance to sit down, take a break, and experience the positive impact of art. You are awesome!

FIND A SPACE / GET A PERMIT

First, get your location ducks in a row. Make sure your location is available on the first Friday of September for you to use. If it is, YAY! Make sure you do all you need to do to get a reservation to hold your event.

Permit
Some places will require you to obtain a permit. Permits can range from $100 to $5000. Most cities will require that you purchase a permit for this type of event. To cut your own costs, consider working with a neighborhood association, community benefit district, or local non-profit who already has a relationship with the city and may be able to waive the permit fee or use a permit they have already established. You can also make the city aware that you are working for a non-profit organization and see if they are willing to donate the permit fee. We are happy to place logos on our website of any “partnering” organization that helps you cut costs. Send us an email with the logo and an explanation of what the organization is providing you.

Art Space Set Up
The set-up we suggest is (at the very least) one canopy, two 6ft tables and 12 chairs. If you are renting these items, I would suggest making your order now. September is a busy month for party rental facilities, so the earlier you claim the items you need the less nervous you have to get as Art Break Day approaches.

If you already have the necessary components to create a lovely art site, YAY! One less thing for you to worry about.

If you can’t afford to rent or buy the necessary items, use this month to contact local party supply stores and ask them for an “in-kind donation” of the items you need OR contact a local non-profit and ask them for some assistance.

Check out these images below to get an idea about the Art Break Day Art Space and how others have set it up in the past.

GATHER YOUR ART TROOPS

Find some volunteers for your event.

Here are a few ways to find and secure some volunteers:

  • Ask your family and friends (Email them, post it to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites)
  • Ask a local non-profit if Art Break Day is something their regular volunteers might be interested in helping with
  • Post the opportunity to your local Craigslist

GATHER SUPPLIES 

GATHER SUPPLIES!

Art Supplies we suggest:

16 oz bottles of tempera paint (7 colors: white, red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple)
Paint Brushes
Palette Pads
Pencils
Erasers
Pencil Sharpeners
Markers
Paper

You can bring whatever art supplies you want to your event. All that we require is that art supplies are available and everyone is invited to use them.

Other items to consider bringing with you:

A banner – Create a large banner that says “Take an Art Break!” – don’t forget to include our website on it (www.ArtBreakDay.org) / You can host a pre-event to create buzz and invite folks to help you make the banner. We also have vinyl signs available for purchase.

Extra signage – Sandwich boards are really helpful to guide people in the right direction towards your event space.

Water – Paint brushes get dirty, something might spill, you know the drill. We suggest at the very least 2 gallons of water for your event for the paint tables.

Hand Wipes or Paper Towels – The paint is washable, so if there is a bathroom or a sink near by, don’t worry so much. But, we prefer the event be outside in the public space, so hand wipes are a great way to keep folks from walking away with wet paint on their hands.

Rope, String, Tape, or Cable Ties – This is to hang the sign on your canopy or in another prominent area.

Clothespins – To hang the art folks want to leave behind or let dry. We love creating what Lisa likes to call a “Live Gallery.” It attracts an audience and more potential participants and it looks really nice too. We always hang the art from our canopy.

Clipboards – You may run out of chairs and room at your tables. Clipboards are an easy alternative to use during those times.

Aprons – Give them to your volunteers so they don’t get too dirty and so people know who to talk to if they have a question. Some people will also be more encouraged to participate if they don’t have to worry about getting paint on their clothes.

SPREAD THE WORD!

Make Connections
Call, email, and stop by your local non-profit organizations and businesses. Tell them about the event, give them a flier, ask for a donation and for them to spread the word.

Public Service Announcement
Send a PSA to your local radio and media stations.

PSA Announcement

On {Date of the event} from {time of the event}, {YOUR LOCATION HERE} will be buzzing with creativity, community, and connection as everyone will be invited to “take an art break” and make art for FREE! On Art Break Day, art making spaces pop up in over 40 worldwide locations. Everyone is invited to sit down, take a break, connect with their community, and experience the positive impact of art. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Art Break Day is a global art movement created by the non-profit Art is Moving. Visit www.artbreakday.org for more information.

Press Release
Feel free to use the press release below to announce your local Art Break Day to every media outlet in town.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

This Art Break Day make art with the world

(Art Break Day Location City and Date)

Since 2011, over thirty thousand people in cities across the world have participated in a free and public art-making event known as “Art Break Day.”

Art Break Day is a daylong celebration that encourages people to sit down, take a short break from their busy lives, and make art for free. Tabled booths are set up in highly trafficked locations in various cities across the globe and passer-byers are provided art supplies and the opportunity to make art for free. The annual event occurs simultaneously in all participating locations on the first Friday of September. This year’s Art Break Day will take place on {date of the event} and will be celebrated in over 40 locations, including  cities across 16 of the United States, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela.

Art Break Day was created by the nonprofit art organization Art is Moving. According to Co-Founding Director Lisa Rasmussen, “Art Break Day is an event for the people that is hosted by the people. While providing everyone with an opportunity to discover the positive impact of art I hope it also ignites their inner artist and they leave encouraged, empowered, and ready to engage with art again and again.”

“Art Break Day is all about connection,” says Co-Founding Director, Lauren Odell Usher Sharpton. “People connect with their creative sides while making art. People also connect with one another by making art at the same table. And, because several locations simultaneously host an Art Break Day, people also make art with the world.”

Volunteer host, Vasvi Srivastava of New Dehli, India says of her experience hosting, “It was amazing to see strangers connecting with each other over art. New friendships were formed.”

Art Break Day is free to the public. People of all ages are encouraged to participate and no prior experience is required to do so. There is no time limit on participation. Visit any of the locations to take a break and make art with your neighbors. To learn more about this year’s event and locations, visit www.ArtBreakDay.org.  

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Believing in the positive effect of art on an individual and a community, Art is Moving aims to improve understanding and access to art by providing information about its benefits as well as opportunities to practice art through various public programs.

Press Contact:

Lisa Rasmussen MFA/ Co-Founding Director, Art is Moving

Phone: 415.377.4956

Email: takeanartbreak@artismoving.org

Website: www.ArtBreakDay.org

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Calendar Postings
Here is the info you need. Post to as many online calendar listings as possible.

Date: {Date of the event}
Time: (Time of event}
Cost: FREE!
Website: www.artbreakday.org
Description: Take an art break and make art for FREE with your community! Art Break Day is a global art event where art making spaces pop up in public places and everyone is invited to sit down, take a break, and make art for free. YOUR CITY HERE will be hosting an Art Break Day event YOUR EXACT LOCATION HERE. All ages and art skills are welcome. Visit www.artbreakday.org for more information.

Write a Blog Post

Write a blog post about your event, send it our way and we’ll happily share it on our social media sites. 

SPREAD THE WORD SOME MORE

Marketing Materials!

TEMPLATES

READ THIS FIRST: BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THE TEMPLATES – save them to your own computer. Option one: save it to your own google drive (go to file make a copy and save it under a new name) Option two: save it your desktop (file, download as, Microsoft Word) before making any edits. This is a communal template shared by all of our locations.

Poster Sized Template HERE. 

Small Flier Template HERE.

STAY CONNECTED

  • Like our Art is Moving Facebook page here and share our posts regarding Art Break Day.
  • Join our Twitter network here.
  • Find us on Instagram here.
  • Tweet about the event (use the hashtag #artbreakday )
  • Post about the event to Facebook (use the hashtag #artbreakday)