McLean Project for the Arts Announces Second Annual MPAartfest to be Held October 5th
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

McLean, Va. (March 10, 2008)—Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, the McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) already is hard at work organizing its second annual MPAartfest, announced event chairwoman Bari Levingston.

The 2008 MPAartfest will be held Sunday, October 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at McLean Central Park located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue in McLean, Va. MPA expects more than 40 juried artists from throughout the mid-Atlantic region to participate in the event and attendance to be greater than the 3,500 Northern Virginia residents who attended last year.

“McLean Project for the Arts is enthusiastic about bringing back the highly successful MPAartfest to McLean and Northern Virginia this year,” Levingston said. “We are well-positioned to expand on the momentum generated by our inaugural event in 2007. We look forward to continued strong support from the arts community, local sponsors and the general public.”

MPAartfest is seeking corporate sponsors for the 2008 event. Sponsorship commitments range from $600 to more than $10,000. Each level provides organizations unique promotional opportunities at this widely attended community arts festival. For more information about MPAartfest sponsorships, contact Sheri McGrath, MPA’s director of development, at (703) 791-1953 or at smcgrath@mpaart.org.

On October 5 MPAartfest will transform McLean Central Park into a lively landscape of mini art galleries showcasing and offering for sale the work of a diverse group of more than 40 juried artists. A Children’s ArtWalk, an ArtTent and live entertainment throughout the day will make this a must-see event for art lovers of all ages.

MPAartfest is free to the public. Ample free parking will be provided and local restaurants and community groups will offer refreshments for sale.

A rain-or-shine event, MPAartfest will move inside the McLean Community Center, adjacent to the park, in case of inclement weather.

Donations from corporate sponsors and individuals plus a portion of food sales from MPAartfest will benefit McLean Project for the Arts and its public art awareness and education programs. These monies help fund a multitude of highquality art exhibitions and educational programs at MPA’s galleries and studio in the McLean Community Center. Artists participating in MPAartfest will keep 100 percent of the proceeds from the sales of their artwork.

MPAartfest is grateful for the support of Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust, the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Friends of McLean Central Park, the McLean Community Center, the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce and the many corporate and individual sponsors who make the event possible, said Levingston.

WJLA-TV is this year’s MPAartfest broadcast media sponsor. For more information about MPAartfest, visit the MPA Web site at www.mpaart.org and click on the “MPAartfest logo,” call (703) 790-1953 or send an e-mail to artfest@mpaart.org.

McLean Project for the Arts is a non-profit visual arts center founded in 1962 to exhibit the work of emerging and established regional artists. Designated as a museum partner by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, MPA’s mission is to bring the visual arts into the community by promoting public awareness and understanding of contemporary art. Additionally, in its Susan B. DuVal studio MPA offers instruction and education to the public by dedicated professional artists in partnership with the Corcoran College of Art + Design. MPA is permanently housed at the McLean Community Center. For more information please visit www.mpaart.org.

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