Be a hero – Elevator Projects event to bring out the kid in all of us

There is something to be said for indulging our childlike love of silly games, putting on costumes and playing pretend.

That’s what Elevator Projects aims to do with its second installment of ARTcade, an event for kids and adults this Sunday that features homemade larger-than-life games and activities created by the quirky talents of this local arts collective.

Dubbed “Homegrown Superheroes,” ARTcade will include human-powered arcade games, a video game competition, a giant interactive Lite Brite (remember those?) and challenges for kids and adults, all to raise funds and support Elevator Projects’ work in the Red Stick. Visitors are encouraged to dress as their favorite superhero—or better yet, come up with a new one!—and participate in a costume contest.

Founder Raina Wirta says that while the collective has been partnering with different organizations lately on other projects, this is the first event in a while that specifically highlights the Elevator Projects team. “I see it as a really good opportunity for us to create a presence now that we have more recognition and people are getting to know more about what we do. I think it’s really going to be an important project for our organization,” she says.

Besides showcasing the collective’s talents, ARTcade will also be highlighting a new space in the downtown area that’s opening its doors to artists. The event will be held at a warehouse on Choctaw Drive, just north of the state capitol area, owned by local artist Joseph Jilbert.

Wirta says Jilbert has been incredibly supportive of the ARTcade event. “All we had to do was just tell him a little bit about Elevator Projects and what our goal was for this project and he wanted to help,” she says. “He sees our passion and our vision … He’s giving young artists something to look forward to.”

And from the looks of it, ARTcade might help to inspire some budding young artists as well. The event will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday to give local children and families a chance to try out all the games earlier in the day. The festivities will continue until 7 p.m. with food trucks on site and refreshments and beer available to purchase. Entry to the event is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and younger.

See the event page here for more details and directions to the warehouse, and find out more information about Elevator Projects at elevatorprojects.org.

Elevator Projects is housed in the Walls Project’s Art & Design Center, where Wirta recently curated a great new exhibit, “Navigating Worlds,” which features works from Walls Project muralists Maggie Kleinpeter, Mia Kaplan and Elise Toups.

Toups’ installation, “We are the Animals,” is especially intriguing, with its collage-like use of animal and human cutouts:

The full exhibit is up at the Art & Design Center until Oct. 3. A reception, including performance components, is slated for Sept. 26, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Find out more here.