By Levi Wright
This past weekend the annual Holiday Thieves’ Market took over the IMU as more than 100 artists headed to the 46th-annual event to exhibit and sell their work. This year, a number of new features were added to the palette.
“We have the wine and beer vendors who are here both days and a couple of new collaborations” said Annalise Castro, the marketing director for the Fine Arts Council. In addition to the Campus Activities Board, which joined in to provide a variety of children’s activities to, the market joined forces with Dance Marathon to expand its impact on the community through its Festival of Wreaths auction.
Castro said all the proceeds from auctioning off the wreaths go to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
“A lot of community businesses provided and decorated the wreaths, attaching gift cards to them,” said Michael Caligiuri, the development director for Dance Marathon. “It’s a great way to get Iowa City businesses involved.”
Among its other philanthropic functions, the Holiday Thieves’ Market ultimately serves as a hub to support the work of local artists.
“I remember coming to the Market since I was 12 … It’s always supported growing artists, through programs like the Fine Arts Council, which gives cost-cuts to students at the university,” said UI student Alea Mae, the president of the Ceramic Society. Mae noted that the university helps pay for the National Clay Conference, which the society is currently raising money for.
Castro said that when the Thieves’ Market was founded in 1970, it “started as an exhibition for student artists — a way for [them] to sell their work.”
The market aimed to stay true to its roots supporting local artists not only by showcasing the work of established veterans but also by creating a display at which up-and-coming student artists could showcase their work.
Walking by the booths, the diversity of the work — and the skill of its creators — was apparent.
“The Thieves’ Market is a beautiful display of craftsmanship,” said Doug Adams, one of the artists.
Noting the overall quality of the people and their work, another artist, Judith Miller, expressed her satisfaction.
“We’ve been going to this show for 15 years, and it’s always been a very high quality show
Speaking with each person, a common theme emerged: Everyone had been coming to the market for years. While community events can often garner sizable turnouts once or twice, this degree of consistency was a real marker of the market’s timeless appeal.
The Holiday Thieves’ Market had a wide variety of things that could attract anyone to make an excuse to buy a few early holiday presents. It would not be surprising if the biggest problem attendees had were their inability to keep their wallet in their pocket.
