IT GETS BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR. Locals are proud of this coastwide event that has our towns, lanes, forests, theatres, galleries, restaurants, and studios laying out warm welcomes and bustling with creativity. Last year’s visitors have this marked on their calendars. Many very popular venues are preparing to wow people yet again, with sixty-three new venues this year. The fall weather, whether it brings warm sun, pelting rain, or a dramatic windstorm that knocks out power, always adds a surprise element. The weekend has evolved to the point where everyone looks forward to the zany festivity and real Sunshine Coast hospitality.
And then there’s the art. Everything, everything under the sun: painting and glass work, ceramic and sculpture, textiles, fibre, metal, photography, group and individual exhibits.
Linda Williams, program director, puts all this together and highlights some changes and additions:
“A biggy is that the Powell River artists are not in the Roberts Creek Hall, due to the election, and will be showing at the Gibsons Legion Hall this year. The Gibsons Public Market is hosting a fibre artist grouping plus four other mixed media artists . . . including chocolate (!). Bonniebrook area in Gibsons has many new artists, including the Bonniebrook Collective—six artists new to the Crawl. Another collective of new artists in the Hopkins area includes a combination of an armourer, potter, photographer, fibre artist, and musician. The Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club is hosting artwork from thirty-six artists for the Sechelt Hospital Foundation Fundraiser. Sunshine Coast Arts Centre is hosting six artists who have never been in the Crawl before. And there are two artists in the Rockwood space in Sechelt, and more new artists in the Halfmoon Bay (almost a “gallery row” on Redrooffs) to Madeira area.”
You might want to read that again; each of these sounds like a must-visit. And those are just the new developments!
Luckily the Art Crawl comes with a fabulous comprehensive brochure and map that will help you plan your experience, whether you’ve got a couple of hours and one town to cover, or all weekend to get in as much as you can!
Words | Nancy Pincombe
