Local businesses and artists are coming together for a first-of-its-kind self-guided art crawl in 100 Mile House.
The crawl is an 11-day self-guided tour throughout the community, where residents will visit the designated businesses that are displaying the selected artists’ work.
“Using the art crawl booklet, art walkers can discover the arts and culture in the Cariboo by visiting the many businesses that are hosting the artist’s work through various visual mediums,” said Bobbie Crane, who began planning the event a year ago and will also be displaying her work at Western Financial.
The art crawl will be kicking off on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) and end on Canada Day (July 1). The opening ceremony is taking place at the Parkside Art Gallery is set to include a drumming ceremony by Mike and Trish Archie – followed by speeches by MLA Donna Barnett, Mayor Mitch Campsall, Art Council co-chair Gordon Hoglund and Stemete7uw’i co-ordinator Rob Diether.
Throughout the afternoon, art walkers can enjoy Wayne Larsen, as he paints alongside other contributing artists such as the Spinners and Weavers Guild. The Stemete7uw’i Friendship Centre will be providing lunch at the centre by donation.
On Saturday (June 22) the More Than Wood Art Gallery will be hosting an open house. Art walkers can meet the artists, see demonstrations and there will be art activities for kids to enjoy.
Crane said the event was made possible after the 100 Mile and District Arts Council applied and received a grant through the Community Resilience Through Arts and Culture 2018 Pilot Program.
“We didn’t have enough time to get it off the ground then (last year) but we also wanted to kick it off on National Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate the Indigenous community,” said Crane. “This gave us a year to put the proposal in place, talk to the different entities and see if we could get the event off of the ground.”
The project’s intent is to support all arts and cultural events with a focus on communities that have experienced hardships and other challenges.
The grant gives these communities a chance to benefit from arts and culture through promoting resilience, connection and healing.
Crane says 100 Mile had met the criteria for this grant after the 2017 wildfire season and the art council’s partnership with the local indigenous community – Stemete7uw’i Friendship Centre.
“You had to be a not-for-profit organization and also partner with the indigenous community,” she said. “We had to have a project on the table (before applying for the grant). At that point, it was the Art Crawl, but it wasn’t much more than a thought when I filled out the grant.”
After a year of planning and support from the 100 Mile Lion’s club, the art council has been able to achieve their goal.
“We have accomplished getting the 24 businesses and 25 artists,” said Crane. “We matched the artists up with the businesses as best as we could. All of the businesses are very diverse here. Over the next week, artists will get together with the business owners and collaborate for their displays.”
The Art Crawl Program can be picked up at the Visitors Centre, Parkside Art Gallary, the More Than Wood Art Gallary and the 100 Mile Free Press office.
(When referring to the map in the Art Crawl booklet, Business 17. Cariboo Geographic Systems is located on Cariboo Highway 97, directly across from the Chevron gas station and next door to P. Bass Fish and Chips.)
