Festival 2019 Poster

This year, our iconic yearly poster has been created by a local designer considered iconic himself in the world of design: Steve Frykholm. He’s been at Herman Miller for 50 years ago, starting right about the same time that Festival of the Arts had its beginnings.

Frykholm centered his focus for the poster around “the Calder,” the backdrop of Festival memories for so many. This public art sculpture has become a landmark synonymous with our community’s identity. You can find designs based on Alexander Calder’s “La Grande Vitesse” on everything from governmental flags to logos to, heck, our garbage cans.

It’s wasn’t always so well-loved. Elder Grand Rapidians will remember the not-so-warm welcome it received when local arts leaders partnered with the National Endowment for the Arts to bring public art center stage in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Like the Calder’s own
history, it may not be to everyone’s taste—but Frykholm, like Alexander Calder, wasn’t aiming to please everyone.

“It’s different than all the others. You might like it; you might hate it. I’ll be delighted if they sell all 200 posters. I will have done my job.”