The SpeedBump Fort Worth artist studio tour has announced an open call for its inaugural event, to take place on Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SpeedBump Fort Worth was started by artists Claire Kennedy and Max Marshall, who took inspiration from the Visual SpeedBump Art Tour of Oak Cliff, run since 2000 by Dallas artists Brian Jones and Brian Scott. An offshoot of the event, SpeedBump lil d in Denton, started in 2022.
Ms. Marshall, who also co-owns the Giant Runt gallery in Fort Worth, told Glasstire, “We want the public to witness the creativity and scrappiness that Fort Worth artists have to offer. There is a plethora of exciting work happening locally, and often behind the scenes” in nontraditional spaces.
The Fort Worth Art Dealers Association offers a biannual Gallery Night art walk visiting museums, galleries, retail businesses, and restaurants. By contrast, Ms. Marshall and Ms. Kennedy sought the intimacy and connection they witnessed in the Oak Cliff and Denton SpeedBump tours. “We love the idea of an art walk where artist’s studios and less traditional art spaces get the spotlight. It gives the community a peek at a part of their local art world that they may have not seen otherwise. It also gives local artists the opportunity to interact with the public in a more intimate and casual way,” Ms. Marshall said.
Fort Worth artists and art spaces may apply to participate, with the application noting that the SpeedBump tour will be a curated event with 10 stops. The tour seeks “your best and weirdest ideas for exhibitions, workshops, performances, and other activities,” with an emphasis on visual art. Poets, musicians, and performance artists may also apply.
Applications are due Friday, April 3, at 11:59 p.m. CDT. Notifications will be sent out on Friday, April 10. Visit SpeedBump Fort Worth’s Instagram profile for more information.