By Joanne Rodgers, Bruce Peninsula Press
The 53rd Bruce Peninsula Art Show returned after its three-year hiatus due to COVID-19 and school construction/upgrades. The event was held from 4 – 7 August 2023 at the Bruce Peninsula District School in Lion’s Head and featured 62 local and regional artists. The Artists are all property owners in Grey/Bruce County. The Art Show is a registered non-profit organization.
Organizers were pleased with the huge turnout to the event. Overall feedback from visitors to the show was all very positive and encouraging.
There were two galleries displaying works of 62 Artists. Gallery 1 was in the school’s auditorium and showcased all original art including hanging art, photography, paintings and fabric artworks. Gallery 2, located across the hall, displayed carvings, art cards, stained glass, blown glass and handcrafted bowls.
On Friday and Saturday, it was brisk business with art patrons snapping up artwork that caught their eye. Some patrons saw the prints of artwork in Gallery 2 and came over to buy the originals in Gallery 1. Organizers say imagery depicting or associated with the Bruce Peninsula proved to be in hot demand.
The show is held in conjunction with the “Airing of the Quilts” and organizers credit the near proximity of the two events as drawing more visitors to the Art Show.
The organizing committee for the event are all volunteers. They, in turn, rely on other volunteers during the show to help it run smoothly. Organizers wish to thank community members and artists who volunteered daily. They say this was maybe the largest contingent of both the artists and community volunteers; and the efficient operation of the event was due largely to these volunteers.
The local fire and rescue team set-up and dismantled the display boards in the main gallery and transported the boards to and from storage. The Bruce Peninsula Art Show gave a donation to the Fire Service as a way of thanking them for all their assistance.
Patrons Generously Donate to Bursary Fund
Admission to the Art Show was free, but donations were accepted for the Art Show’s Bursary Fund.
Bursary awards are made possible through the proceeds from the sale of art works by Grey/Bruce artists and by donations. Since the Show was not held for three years, the Art Show had almost nil revenues. This year’s Art Show was the start of rebuilding their revenues. Organizers say the patrons to the Art Show were extremely generous in their donations. After the net profit is calculated, the Art Show determines how many bursaries they can afford to offer in the following year.
Since 1990, 155 graduating secondary students of the Bluewater District School Board have received Bursaries from the Art Show. Students are recommended by their Art teachers as demonstrating unusual talent in visual arts and commitment to expanding their expression through further post-secondary education.
The Bursary is offered in two-parts, the first award is given at the end of Secondary school year, the following year the student is required to display their work at the Art Show to receive the final sum.
Since the Art Show was not held for three years, the 2019 and 2020 Bursary Award Recipients participated in this year’s show, displaying samples of their work.
The 2019 Bursary award was given to Bella Brough, a former student of Owen Sound District Secondary School. Brough graduated in 2021 from Fanshawe College’s School of Contemporary Media specializing in photographic arts. She currently works as a full time photographer.
The 2020 Bursary was given to Zach Rodgers of the Bruce Peninsula District School. Rodgers is entering his final year in Industrial Design at Carleton University. He worked as a design intern this summer and was involved in creating drawings and prototypes both physical and digital for an electric utility terrain vehicle and recreational and watersports products.
Mona Bailey from Bruce Peninsula District School received this year’s Bursary Award. She will be going to Algonquin College to study Interior Design.
The Art Show also established an Endowment Fund at Georgian College to support students in the Fine Arts Program. The Fund is managed by Georgian College and four bursaries have been awarded to date.
For more information on the Art Show visit https://brucepeninsulaart.ca/art-show/
