Celebrate fall fun and creativity at Art Barn’s School of Art’s upcoming Art Blitz

The Art Barn School of Art invites the community for a day of creativity and celebration. The ninth annual Art Blitz kicks off on Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, held at its Valparaiso campus, offers a day of artistic exploration, hands-on creativity, and vibrant festivities for all ages.

“I think Art Blitz is an opportunity for people in our community to bond over something fun, low-cost, and creative,” said Agia Amezcua-Bone, marketing manager at Art Barn School of Art.

The early autumn festival transforms Art Barn’s rural campus into a hub of activity for art and fall enthusiasts. With hands-on art activities (ticketed and non-ticketed), artist booths, live artist demonstrations, exhibit tours, live music, sunflower picking, and food vendors, Art Blitz has diverse activities for every interest.  

“Art makes a community feel like it has a culture,” Amezcua-Bone said. “It is a way to bring people together who enjoy something positive and non-political. It is a nice way to have an enjoyable time with other community members and meet people in your community.”

This year’s highlights feature a ribbon-cutting for a new tiny library, created by two Valparaiso Girl Scouts as part of their Silver Award project, an interactive Hazel Hannell exhibit led by Westchester Public Library – Township History Museum Curator and Historian Serena Ard, and adoption opportunities for dogs from American Greyhound. Visitors can explore community partner booths like Humane Indiana Wildlife, shop local art, and join hands-on workshops and demos that celebrate Northwest Indiana’s creative spirit.

“It is always a festive and vibrant event that we do at the Art Barn,” Amezcua-Bone said. “It is so nice to see our barn and our land filled with people doing and making art. I mostly look forward to the cheery atmosphere and everyone having a nice time.”

Set on the scenic Art Barn campus off of U.S. 6 on 400 East, the event is fully accessible with ample parking and accommodations for guests of all abilities to create and explore. With surrounding open land, nature trails, Art Blitz, and other yearly events, it offers an arts experience distinct from city-based venues.

“It is important to show people from populated areas the beauty of rural spaces in our state and in our country,” Amezcua-Bone said. “Since rural places are a little bit more underserved, we want to make sure that we are catering to those who live outside the city and meet new people in their community. We want to provide a space for that.”  

Volunteers and community partners play a central role in making the festival run smoothly each year. As the school grows its reach across Northwest Indiana, events like Art Blitz remain central to its mission of fostering creativity, education, and community engagement.

“We are going to continue to grow our Art Blitz, provide more artist activities, support more local artists and local partners, and hopefully expand activities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy,” Amezcua-Bone said. “We will continue to adapt to community needs and interests and hope people will come see what we are all about.”

Outside of Art Blitz, Art Barn continues its mission year-round with classes for all ages, from young children to adults 65 and older. Art Barn features summer camps, four to six rotating exhibitions, a nationally recognized juried art show, and a variety of community events and fundraisers. To learn more or stay up-to-date on Art Blitz and other upcoming programs, visit artbarnschool.org or follow Art Barn on its social media channels.