After an exciting and successful introductory season, Wells Gray Gallery is about to reopen for 2013. Beginning on June 1, the gallery will be open seven days a week. June hours of operation will be noon – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Hours will be extended for the summer. The gallery is located in the lower level of the Wells Gray Infocenter.
In collaboration with the Infocenter, the gallery plans a grand reopening and open house after renovations at the Infocenter are complete.
Also in collaboration with the Infocenter as well as with neighbouring businesses, Wells Gray Gallery will be open late every Wednesday through the summer starting June 26. The Infocenter will host live music and a night market at which local artisans and vendors can sell their wares.
Artisans of the North Thompson Valley came together under Wells Gray Gallery Artist Cooperative to promote local arts and create cultural opportunities for local artists, the greater community, and the many visitors to our region every year. The cooperative formed Wells Gray Gallery in May 2012 in response to the need for a local art gallery.
The gallery operates completely by the efforts of volunteer members and guest artists.
Wells Gray Gallery Artist Cooperative’s board of directors (who are all artisans and full members of the cooperative) make all the decisions on behalf of the gallery and each member has an equal say. The co-op encourages input from its guest artists and welcomes their full involvement. Members pay an initial membership fee, display their work in the gallery and share equal responsibility for funding the gallery and volunteering their time. While it’s a lot of work, it is an amazing opportunity to work with some talented people to promote arts and culture locally. Guest artists also display their work in the gallery, but pay a 30 per cent commission instead of paying monthly bills and volunteering to work. Gallery commissions are anywhere from 30 – 70 per cent in other galleries and co-ops in B.C.
Establishing our commitment to support and promote the arts locally, in its first year Wells Gray Gallery hosted open houses, organized artisan demonstrations, provided mini workshops and collaborated with the Wells Gray Information Center to create the Wells Gray Winter Market in December. Members and volunteers helped out at special events like the Clearwater Arts Festival in April and the Arts, Health and Wellness Fair in February.
For more information or how to get involved, please contact us at wellsgraygallery@gmail.com or phone 250-674-8775 (Charlene) or 250-274-0002 (Sara).
