Culture News
Arts Non-Profit Creates Materials for Upcoming Festival
By: Bethany Greenman
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Passion Works is working with Bagel Street Deli to create materials for the business’s upcoming Pickle Fest. Artists at the nonprofit are creating pickle plushies and decorations. They are also creating a crown and award for the winner of the fest.
Mallory Valentour, artist-in-residence and graphic designer at Passion Works, says Bagel Street Deli first approached Passion Works for the fest a few years ago. She is excited about continuing the partnership.
“We really enjoyed last year, making all this plushie art for them. And so we’re going back into that this year. Making a crown…and an award, and who knows what else,” she says.
Bagel Street Deli originally only asked for an award, but Passion Works went all out, creating way more materials than requested. Since then, those art pieces have played a major role in the fest.
“We have a tendency to go big or go home,” says Valentour.
Passion Works was founded in 1998 as a subsidiary of the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Its core mission is to provide a space for people with developmental disabilities to create art. Since 2018, it has been an independent not-for-profit.
“We are able to do what the dream was back [22] years ago,” Valentour says.
One artist, Troy Goins, has spent over a decade at Passion Works. He appreciates having the artistic space.
“I kind of like the atmosphere here and I usually like to make a lot of art anyways,” Goins explains.
Pickle Fest will be taking place March 20 at around 4 PM.