Philadelphia is about to get extra fantastic.
From August 1-10, Assembly Required will host the Designer Toy Artwork Competition, the primary large-scale occasion in Philadelphia devoted solely to the world of unbiased toy design, customized collectibles, and DIY inventive tradition. With greater than 100 artists and distributors anticipated, the 10-day celebration consists of an artwork exhibition, immersive programming, and a three-day predominant occasion held on the historic twenty third Avenue Armory.
Initially launched in Asheville, NC, by artist and curator Matthew J. Casale, Assembly Required has rapidly change into one of many few U.S. occasions centered completely on designer toys, bootlegs, pop-surrealist figures, and unbiased creators. This yr marks the present’s enlargement into a brand new metropolis and a brand new format — one which brings collectively avenue artwork, figural sculpture, collectible tradition, and storytelling underneath one banner.
“This house was constructed by artists who wanted one another — and wanted a platform,” says Casale. “Philadelphia is the proper metropolis for this enlargement as a result of it has a wealthy legacy of creativity, riot, and community-building. These artists deserve a stage, and Meeting Required is the place they get it.”
Now reimagined because the Designer Toy Art Festival, the occasion is produced in collaboration with GoHero and POP Options — two trade forces recognized for pushing the boundaries of character design and model storytelling. Collectively, they’re curating an area the place artwork toys aren’t simply celebrated, however elevated as cultural autos in their very own proper.
“Impartial creators are the heartbeat of tomorrow’s manufacturers,” says Steve Forde, founding father of GoHero, POP Options, and co-founder of LBO Collective. “We’ve seen firsthand how highly effective artwork toys may be in shaping tradition. This occasion is designed to be a launchpad for the following technology of world-class creators.”
For extra details about the pageant, go to toyartfest.com.
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