On April 15, 2023, Artist Brian Counihan will lead a celebratory parade from Historic Gainsboro to the Taubman Museum of Art in downtown Roanoke. Marking World Art Day, the event will feature community groups and self-organized art entries by neighborhoods, civic clubs, organizations, and individuals.
“All are welcome,” says Counihan. “In fact that’s the point. The arts can bring us together in fun ways that create joy and connect us. The Daisy Art Parade will be a joyful celebration of our community and what makes it special.”
Teams are busy making their entries in the coming weeks, and there is room for more. The parade will be fun for spectators as well. Expect giant puppets and performers in art costumes. “Creating the art and forming teams is part of the fun,” says Counihan. The artist has invited teams to his studio, where teams surrounded by giant paper mâché heads work on their own entries. “It will be a lot of fun and a big surprise to see each others’ work come parade day.”
Media representatives are invited to visit the studio to see work in progress and participant contacts are available.
PARADE DETAILS
8-11 – Pre-parade events on Henry Street
- AM – Parade line-up
- Noon – Parade to Nolan Plaza with entry viewing
1 PM – Puppet Show at the Taubman Museum of Art
Learn more about the parade, watch a !”#$% of the artist describing the project, and register a team at &&&’#(“)*(+,-(+(#$’.%/.
The Daisy Art Parade has received support through the Roanoke Arts Commission’s Year of the Artist and a variety of community partners, all working together for a more welcoming, healthier, and inclusive Roanoke.
About The Year of the Artist
Brian Counihan is the founder of the Daisy Art Parade (www.daisyartparade.com). Counihan studied at Crawford School of Art in Cork City, Ireland, and received his Master’s degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Among his achievements was top prize in Ireland’s first National Portrait Competition. Counihan has had numerous solo exhibitions in the Roanoke region and is an active advocate for the advancement of locally relevant, contemporary art. A teacher at Community High School of Arts and Academics, Counihan co-founded the Marginal Arts Festival in 2008. His studio (Art Rat Studio) is located in the heart of the old Viscose Plant in South East, now called Roanoke Industrial Center and soon to be the center of the mixed use 0Riverdale” neighborhood.