Italian Street Painting Organizers Get Serious With Donation Campaign

In preparation for the return of Italian street painting to downtown San Rafael after a two-year hiatus, organizers have launched a full-fledged effort to garner donations and sponsorships for the June event.  

Last week, a mailing was sent to supporters (see the PDFs attached at the right) with information about sponsorship levels and the new volunteer-run Italian Street Painting Marin organization. Organizers have also launched a new website. 

The event is set for June 29 and 30 on the streets of downtown San Rafael, centered around Fifth Avenue and A Street, at the steps of Mission San Raphael. For Novato residents, take note that the Novato Festival Art, Wine & Music will be June 8-9, so it won't conflict.

Organizers in San Rafael are avoiding using the word “festival” to not confuse the event with an Italian Street Painting Festival held in another Bay Area town.

Mill Valley resident Sue Carlomagno, co-founder of the event and Italian Street Painting Marin, said they hope to raise $120,000 in sponsorships and donations so they can offer grants to local art organizations and programs.

Several Patch readers were happy to hear the announcement at the end of the 2012 that local artists would return to drawn in the streets in 2013. 

The event drew hundreds of thousands of visitors over its 17-year history and was often referred to as San Rafael’s signature event. It takes place on A Street between Fourth Street and Fifth Avenue and Fifth Avenue between B Street and Court Street.

Youth in Arts canceled the festival in 2011 after facing a decrease in sponsorship dollars and donations. Also, the staff's workload increased due to the size and scope of the event.

Italian Street Painting Marin has an office in Novato, at 77 Digital Drive, that was donated by EveryLife Foundation, one of the event’s major sponsors. The Novato-based Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals is another major sponsor, Carlomagno said.

Donations can be made online or by e-mailing sue@italianstreetpaintingmarin.org.

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