The Big Draw - The World's Largest Drawing Festival

One of the things that has made me fall in love with Philadelphia since moving here is all of the festivals. There are festivals celebrating holidays, seasons, neighborhoods – there’s even a festival dedicated to bacon. If you have a fondness for festivals like I do, then you need to know about The Big Draw. It’s the world’s biggest drawing festival, and it’s happening right now (October 1- November 2, 2014)! It’s like NaNoWriMo for artists. The best part is that you don’t need to be in Philadelphia to participate. The Big Draw takes place across the UK and in twenty other countries.

So what, exactly, is The Big Draw? From their website: “The Big Draw offers thousands of enjoyable, and mainly free, drawing activities which connect people of all ages with museums, outdoor spaces, artists, designers, illustrators – and each other.” Essentially, it’s about bringing together a worldwide community of artists from all disciplines to create together in a variety of spaces.

The Big Draw participants, courtesy of the gallery

And now the big question: Why? According to The Big Draw website: “The Campaign for Drawing aims to get everyone drawing by breaking down barriers and helping people of all ages enjoy its benefits. We champion drawing as a powerful tool for invention, communicating complex concepts, and social and cultural engagement with collections and exhibitions in museums, gallery and heritage sites.” Philosopher John Ruskin believed that, “Drawing is a means of obtaining and communicating knowledge.” The Campaign for Drawing was founded on Ruskin’s belief that drawing makes people better citizens, more respectful and considerate of the world around them. I have to agree.

Not all drawings take place on paper, courtesy of the gallery

Working in Education, I see firsthand how the arts have become undervalued in schools. The focus and the funding are geared heavily towards courses with obvious practical application: English, Math, Science. Ruskin’s philosophy is something all artists know: art has practical application. The Big Draw’s “Why Draw?” page even lists a number of lucrative drawing-based careers.

Demonstrating the relevance and importance of art to society is a huge piece of the contribution that The Big Draw makes worldwide. Personally, I hope it helps people to understand what a critical part of the curriculum art really is before it disappears from classrooms altogether. But that’s enough of me on my soap box! I have to tell you how to get involved!

If you’re not near an organized event, that doesn’t mean you can’t participate in The Big Draw! Gather some friends for that community spirit and find a place to draw! If you’re somewhere that the weather is still nice, a park or athletic field not in use is a great place to find a picnic table or throw down a blanket and get creative. Cafes and mom & pop restaurants are also great for this kind of activity, just be considerate and don’t tie up a table for ages during the lunch rush.

If it’s too cold for the great outdoors, public places like museums and galleries are great spots to draw while drawing inspiration from your surroundings. If you’re in Philadelphia with me, Tattooed Mom on South Street has awesome arts and crafts, and all the supplies are provided! When you’re done, take a picture and tag #TheBigDraw on Twitter and Instagram to connect with artists all over the world.