For the second year running, artists will bring their easels, canvases, and paints and take to the streets of Cardiff to create unique works in an alfresco event. Last year’s successful event attracted thousands of people, artists, and musicians to entertain them.
The 2018 Cardiff Alfresco weekend will take place on September 28th to the 30th in The Hayes.
The brainchild of Cardiff’s most high-profile businessman, Giovanni Malacrino, the event is aimed at putting the city on the cultural map and supporting local artists. The restaurateur and experienced businessman was the pioneer who established the first café quarter in the UK in Cardiff 25 years ago. His restaurant, Giovanni’s On The Hayes, is also celebrating its 35th birthday on October 28th with a charity cabaret dinner at The Marriott Hotel.
Giovanni is a long-term supporter of the arts in Wales and his aim is to complete the transformation of Mill Lane café quarter and bring in more artists to paint and entertain.With that in mind, last year he opened a new arts hub in Mill Lane, GCHQ (Gios Creative Hub Quarter).The arts hub hosts exhibitions of work by Welsh artists as well as providing a performance and recording space for Welsh musicians, as well as providing a meeting place for food aficionados and bloggers.
Giovanni said: “My aim is to help artists reach a wider audience by showing people the level of work which goes into their pieces. Painting alfresco allows people to see that creative process first hand. We’re delighted that after last year’s successful event, we’re able to return for a second year. We’re also delighted that we’ve been in contact with the University of South Wales who are spreading the word about the event amongst their creative students. We hope to see many of them creating their art during the weekend.”
In the event of rain, Giovanni has organised for large parasols to be available under which the artists can paint.There will also be a stage near Giovanni’s restaurant in The Hayes where musicians will entertain the artists and crowds of visitors.
“We’re calling on artists to come out and support the event, and we’re calling on the public to visit us, watch the art being created, talk to the artists, and consider supporting them by buying their pieces,” Giovanni added. “We’re also encouraging children to come and draw and have fun as they are our future artists.”
