Crosstie Arts and Jazz Festival 2024
Crosstie Arts and Jazz Festival 2024
Over 50 years ago, a group of creative and passionate had a wild idea to establish a festival celebrating the arts and culture of the MS Delta. Without marketing teams to evaluate audience reactions or agonizing over fancy promotional materials to draw crowds, folks got to work to make real that idea. Every year, the buzz to be even better than the previous, Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival volunteers get busy behind the scenes, taking up the roles established so many years ago. The thing about Crosstie that you may not notice each year is that the very existence of the festival is testament to the volunteer spirit and willingness to work hard for the betterment of the entire community.
There’s a little known fact that the rich yellow color familiar to long-time fans of the Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival was quite simply, a snap, frugal decision. The golden yellow of Crosstie just happened to be the cheapest, brightest and longest bolt of material at the fabric store. Someone could have offered a new color or ‘freshened up’ the extremely noticeable 1970’s yellow but there have been more important things to accomplish throughout the half-century of commitment and success.
Since its first festival held along the railroad tracks zippered down Cleveland’s long epicenter, artists and community have mingled over a common, passionate cause – to explore and appreciate the arts. Booths were staked out with what was handy at the time while cotton trailers with flat tires were brought in to serve as temporary walls for arts of every kind. Nestled around bushes and tucked under trees, the festival spent several years along its namesake, the railroad crossties. It was a very organic and honest experience where friends shared appreciation for various arts, new and seasoned artists found their life-long patrons and occasionally, someone who didn’t think they knew a thing about ‘art’ felt a little more confident after purchasing their first piece of how they defined “beauty.”
The characters and personalities credited with beginning Cleveland’s long-standing Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival have exhausted their youth for good cause. They created a sustainable source of community pride and a supportive environment for new and experienced artists. Volunteers have changed faces over the years as have the recognized artists who seemed to always find their way back, year after year; however, the spirit of Crosstie blooms again each Spring.
Sponsor, patron, member, supporter, art and music lover, philanthropist, any term you choose :)
Sponsor, patron, member, supporter, art and music lover, philanthropist, any term you choose :)
The annual festival with dozens of returning (as well as new) quality artists and craftsmen
Co-sponsorship with the Junior Auxiliary of Cleveland’s Children’s Art & Writing Contest
The Janice Wyatt Summer Arts Institute (Delta State University)
The Malcolm Norwood Scholarship
Co-sponsorship of special programs with Delta State University
High School art projects
Art education as a major focus
Art scholarships and awards in excess of $4500
Support for Delta Arts Alliance
There will be a Patron’s Party this year.
Sponsor $2,500
Supporter $1,000
Promoter $500
Benefactor $250
Friend $100
Patron $50
MEMBERS
PATRONS
Katherine Pearson and Family
Nancy Chiz
Susan Denton
Frances Scarborough
Wes and Ann Franklin
Heather and Ryan short
Mr. and Mrs. John Letchworth
Brenda Outlaw
Katherine and Robert Crump
Gary and Kim Pongetti
Chace Holland
Georgene Clark
Jeff and Barbara Levingston
Emily Havens
Alex Janoush
Sammye Short
Dr. Robert T Ragan
Ana Parker Arbuckle
Kelly Duarte
Frances Hardman
Mallory Burchfield
Lyndsi Naron
Maribeth Kovac
Maggi Mosco
Holly Wells
Mary Clair Rackley
Gunner Sizemore
Carley Brown
Mary Parker Redditt
Taylor Newton
Forrest Vinson
FRIENDS
Lee and Don Aylward
Beverly Janoush
Brad and Kendall Roberts
Michael and Bib Belenchia
Becky and Pearman Smith
Buddy and Kay Long
Mary Cline
Danny and Mary McKay Griffith
Priscilla and Richard Aguzzi
Joe and Cristy Reed
Ron and Catherine Koehler
John and Jan Brown
Signe and Jim Adams
Robert and Debbie Heslep
Linda and Bob Yeager
Rose Strahan
Jim and Stacie Harris
Mr. and Mrs. George Steen
Elizabeth and Frank Melton
James Southworth Steen
Kirkham and Hilda Povall
Mark and Kathie Boone
Caroline L. Gaines
Kenneth and Gwendolyn J. Thomas
Butler and Jean Denton
Dennis and Mary Jean Gates
Michelle Arbuckle
Beverly Ray Card
David Griffith
Mr. and Mrs. Ned Mitchell
Judson Brown
Kent and Janice Wyatt
Chris and Beth Hardman
Greg and Lana Bates
Karen Mayers
Tracey Portner
Perry Auto
Abraham's
The Wishing Well
Gilbow’s
BENEFACTOR
Harry and Meg Howarth
Bubba and Michelle Bailey
Frances and Jim Tims
Beverly Fioranelli
Jamie and Jenny Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rogers Varner, Jr.
Henry and Kerri Mosco
Bob and Wilma Wilbanks
Heather Harrison
Povall and Jeffreys P.A.
Bayou Academy
The Image Specialist
Mississippi Grounds and Yo Eddie BBQ
Partnership Properties
Mid-Delta Heating, A/C and Electrical, Inc.
Rimmer-Child and Koonce Insurance
PROMOTER
Steven and Kathy Clark
Stan and Victoria Gaines
Cleveland State Bank
Planters Bank
Nehi Bottling Company
McCartys
SUPPORTER
Daniel Ennis
Paul Janoush
SPONSOR
Carol Tatum
Cannon Motors of Cleveland
RCI Delta
The Bolivar Bullet
Pafford EMS
Artists 2024
Join us for the full experience in Cleveland while showcasing your talent at Crosstie Festival.
Artists 2024
Join us for the full experience in Cleveland while showcasing your talent at Crosstie Festival.
Greetings from the Mississippi Delta!
On behalf of the Crosstie Arts Council, I would like to formally invite you to participate in the 2024 Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival. For over 50 years we have transformed the Bolivar County Courthouse lawn into a juried fine arts show featuring hundreds of exhibitors featuring paintings, sculpture, pottery, fabric and paper designs, hand-made furniture, jewelry, and much more. With a multitude of activities and live music surrounding the art, Crosstie attracts thousands of collectors and festival goers each year. I hope to see you Saturday, April 6, 2024 on the Bolivar County Courthouse lawn in downtown Cleveland, MS.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
2024 Crosstie President,
Mary Parker Redditt
For exhibitor questions or information, please email crosstiefestival@gmail.com.
Application
$75 Application Fee
3 photos or slides of work emailed to crosstiefestival@gmail.com
Artists must submit an application, application fee and email 3 photos or slides of their work to crosstiefestival@gmail.com for eligibility.
A fee of $75 ($50 for students) reserves a 10’ by 12’ space and allows for competition pieces in any combination of the categories listed above.
If accepted, our signed application is considered a commitment to show. There will be no refunds of entry fees.
Only original works by the exhibitor will be accepted for display.
Reservations will be on a first come first serve basis. Please list your top three date preferences. The Festival Committee reserves the right to limit the number of exhibitors per event.
All checks should be made payable to Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival or payment can be made via PayPal at crosstiefestival@gmail.com
Exhibitors who require electrical service must specify their needs in advance on the application form. Electrical service is limited and not guaranteed.
Exhibitors are responsible for any equipment necessary to display their work.
Applications will be reviewed and accepted as long as space remains available; however, potential exhibitors should apply as soon as possible to ensure acceptance and location.