Art comes to life during Art in Bloom celebrations. Each year throughout the country these very special events take place at local museums. Art is Bloom is a collaborative effort between museums and local garden clubs/floral design organizations. You have to be invited to participate. So, anyone wishing to take part should become active members of their local groups.

The idea of Art in Bloom is pretty simple. The participating museum selects certain works of art from its collections, which become sources of inspiration for floral designs. The art may be paintings, sculptures, or even other items like textiles. The selected ones are then used as inspiration by members of the participating local garden club/floral design group. The completed floral arrangements are then displayed near the art.

The history of Art in Bloom is interesting. It began at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The first one was held in 1976. It continues to the present. During the Boston event in 2008, 63 different organizations participated with the participants representing clubs from throughout New England.

The first Art in Bloom was organized in order to find a means of boosting museum attendance during a slow time of the year. This was during the spring when the public has a wide choice of festivals and other community events from which they can choose.

Participation at Art in Bloom events is limited because the museums only have a certain amount of space available to display the completed Art in Bloom arrangements.

Even if you can’t participate in an official Art in Bloom event, you can still visit the participating museums to view the floral arrangements and the accompanying works of art.

Local garden clubs and floral design groups could also use this concept to create their own mini-event. For example, you could invite a local artist to bring works of art to a meeting.

Not all Art in Bloom events are hosted by museums. One took place in 2008 at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts in Black Mountain, North Carolina. This was held in cooperation with the Asheville Chapter of Ikebana International.

Though there is apparently a book entitled “Art in Bloom,” this title appears to be out of print. It apparently showcased Art in Bloom events around the country and showcased the works of selected floral designers.