Bloomington-Normal Slow Art Day History

Founded in 2010, Slow Art Day is an annual global event with a mission to help more people discover the joy of looking at and appreciating art. In 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic, Eaton Gallery hosted Slow Art Day by placing art in their gallery window. This was a safe, socially distanced way to invite the public to engage with local fine art as part of the global event. In 2022, Bloomington Artists organized the world’s first citywide Slow Art Day with nine locations. In 2023, the list of participants grew to fifteen. In 2024, 20 locations in Bloomington-Normal invited guests to experience art slowly. In 2025, 20 locations participated.

As the number of locations has grown, so has attendance. In 2023, the BN Artists joined the non-profit Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway with an event membership for their assistance in amplifying.

What’s New this year for Bloomington-Normal?

This year, the Slow Art Day will allow BN Artists to print stickers of original artwork depicting tourism destinations in Bloomington-Normal/McLean County. These art-tourism stickers, featuring the talented artists in our community, will be distributed by VisitBN locally, regionally, and at conferences around the country, as well as at art studios, art galleries, and museums in Bloomington-Normal. History, art, and culture all on one sticker multiplied by ten designs.