Contact:

Jessica Gago
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
619-312-1212
gago@fastforwardevents.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9TH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD OPENS ARTIST CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR OFFICIAL FESTIVAL PAINTING

Southern California’s Largest Wine & Food Festival Opens Artist Call for Entries to Create 2012 Official Festival Art

San Diego, CA (February 6, 2012) – The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival announced today its Featured Artist call for entries.  The Festival is Southern California’s largest wine and food festival and is scheduled to take place November 14-18, 2012. Of all artist entries submitted, one will be selected as the Festival’s featured artist, capturing the essence of the food and wine festival through an original painting that will be used for the Festival’s official poster.

Now in its ninth year, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has quickly grown into a world-class wine and culinary extravaganza.  The five-day spectacular prides itself on its combination of A-list celebrity chefs and culinary personalities from across the nation, cooking classes highlighting the latest culinary trends, and wine seminars featuring master sommeliers, legendary winemakers, and the city’s top wine experts.

“Finding our featured artist each year has been an integral part of this event. Last year’s painting was used as the focal point for the Festival’s marketing campaign,” said Michelle Metter, the Festival’s co-producer. “We are excited to see what kind of flavor local artists bring to the table this year, as previous years artwork has often helped set the theme for the Festival.”

Previous artists have included Michael Summers (“A Merry Gathering,” 2011), David Tyrone Villa (“The Spirit San Diego,” 2010), Robert Holton (“Good Cheer,” 2009), Christopher M. (“A Perfect Pair,” 2008), Cynthia Colis (“Pucker Up,” 2007), John Heimstra (2006), and Cindy Clarke (2005).

The responsibilities of the Featured Artist include submitting a model of the Festival poster for consideration by the Festival Board of Advisors.  The design must incorporate a wine bottle with “San Diego” and the current year (2012) on the label.  If approved, the artist must create an original painting of the design to be donated to the Festival’s non-profit live auction, benefitting culinary arts and enology arts scholarship programs for the American Institute of Wine & Food and Chaine de Rotisseries.

In return, the Featured Artist then receives his or her artwork featured on select marketing collateral associated with the event, which may include postcards, the online brochure, Festival programs, the event website, Festival posters, and advertisements.  Additionally, the chosen artist is highlighted with a “celebrity appearance” at the Festival’s Grand Tasting, receiving a 10 by 10 exhibit space to display and sell artwork.  The artist also receives a full-page ad in the Festival program, inclusion in an electronic broadcast to over 22,000 wine and food festival enthusiasts and industry trade members, and a feature on the Festival’s website with headshot and biography.

For those interested in being considered for the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Featured Artist, applications are available on the Festival’s website at www.worldofwineevents.com. Electronic submissions of concepts will also be accepted if sent to metter@fastforwardevents.com no later than March 1, 2012. All artists participating will be narrowed down to a list of finalists who will be juried by the Festival’s Board of Advisors.  If selected, the final artwork must be turned into Festival Management by April 1, 2011.

For more information, please call Festival Management at 619-312-1212, or visit the website at www.worldofwineevents.com.

SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
The 9th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is an international showcase of the world's premier wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods.  Held November 14-18, 2012, the event benefits the American Institute of Wine & Food’s culinary and enology arts scholarship program.  Over 800 wines, 70 of San Diego’s top fine dining restaurants and gourmet food companies, and exhibitors participated in the 2011 Festival.  For more information visit www.worldofwineevents.com. Produced by World of Wine Events and Fast Forward Event Productions.  For more information call 619-342-7337.

FAST FORWARD EVENT PRODUCTIONS
As an award-winning turnkey event management and marketing solutions provider, Fast Forward Event Productions specializes in the creation of world-class trade and consumer events, brand activation and experiential marketing strategies, street team and mobile marketing tours for the luxury marketplace.  From elite wine and food experiences for thousands of discriminating palates to intimate brand-to-press networking events in the heart of Manhattan, productions by Fast Forward Events accelerate human connections, put brands in front of key influencers, and deliver an unparalleled return on experience.  Fast Forward Events is the producer of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Southern California’s largest luxury wine and culinary experience now in its ninth year.

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