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Connecting art with community: Rising High Arts Festival comes to FUSION
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When Dennis Gromelski, co-founder of FUSION, was thinking of a way to inspire the Albuquerque community, it hit him.
Why not host a 10-day festival filled with all the fun, art and music a person could ever need?
In just six months, Gromelski was able to create an all-inclusive festival that promotes a collaboration from all people in the arts — the Rising High Arts Festival.
Connecting art with community: Rising High Arts Festival comes to Fusion
“The name is twofold,” Gromelski said. “Everything came together around the same time. The name, Rising High, is because the final four days of (the Albuquerque International) Balloon Fiesta are the first four days of the festival.”
Scheduled specifically toward the end of Balloon Fiesta to allow visitors a chance to take in the beauty of downtown, the festival is the culmination of what Gromelski believes is the best part of New Mexico. Local artists from various mediums will have a chance to shine at a variety of events.
Rising High Arts Festival kicks off the event a few days early with the presentation of a new gallery at FUSION, “Protest 2024,” featuring 54 artists creating 90 individual works of art, all themed around how artists express themselves and how art is activism.
On theme with the event, FUSION will have two new murals on the outside of the building, designed and painted by local artists.
The festival formally started on Thursday, Oct. 10, with an outdoor showing of the movie “ANYTIME,” which follows 15 freeride mountain bikers scaling the grand landscapes of the Swiss Alps and North America. The movie showing, along with various events during the festival, are free to the public. Other events will be donation based or require tickets to attend.
Music is the star of the show on Friday, Oct. 11, with two performances from local band NATOK ROK Earth Trance at 7 p.m. and Benny Bassett, who will be celebrating his 1,000th music performance at FUSION at 6 p.m. Tickets to the shows are $10-$40, plus fees, at risinghighartsfest.org.
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Throughout the festival, a variety of food and drink will be available. Local coffee shop Novel Point Coffee sits directly across from FUSION. The shop will sell coffee, pastries, sandwiches, tea and more. The coffee shop will also host a latte art competition, where baristas will create works of art with steamed milk.
There is a selection of food trucks that will rotate, so guests can have a new type of food every time they visit the festival.
For an alcoholic drink, FUSION will have its bar open. Safe House Distilling Company will also be on site. Each day will have a different theme that relates to that evening’s performances. Specialty drinks highlighting Safe House products will be available, along with local tap and canned beers and wine.
Other events to look out for at the festival are: ABQ Headbangers Market, a day dedicated to metalheads across the city; a free drum circle event that allows people the chance to bang on bongos; a cabaret show presented by local presenters; and more.
