Saturday July 26, 2025 | SOOKE, BC [Updated July 27, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
A steady flow of guests arrived at the Sooke Fine Arts Show Purchaser’s Preview on Friday evening.
The July 25 event with a $55 ticket price is a feature social event of the summer season in Sooke.
Like the art itself, the Purchaser’s Preview is a creative mix of people with a range of interests in the development and interests of the Sooke community.
Sponsors and donors largely make the evening possible. As do the many volunteers who spend many weeks or months training and preparing for putting on the 10-day show that displays over 370 artworks by numerous coastal artists.
Media companies that have sponsored the 2025 Sooke Fine Arts Show to help provide show promotion are CHEK Media, Island Social Trends, Sooke News Mirror, and the Times Colonist.
This year the show runs Saturday July 26 into the BC Day Long Weekend through Monday August 4.
- Adult (18-64) – $17
- Senior (65+) – $12
- Show passes – $30 (daily entry)
- Children & Youth (17 and under) – Free
39th year, same and new:
Now in its 39th year, the format in many ways remains the same while evolving in ways to improve both art sales and the visitor experience in the arena space at the SEAPARC Recreation Centre in Sooke.
Last year the gift shop and performance stage swapped places. That improvement for the flow of guests was maintained this year.
This year an upgrade of lighting in the Youth Art Exhibit area is a positive change.
Even though the show and sale is presented in a hockey arena, each year the space becomes transformed to a high standard of exhibition excellence. Wood-frame and modular display stands offer creativity in an of themselves.
People who come every year learn to wear comfortable shoes, as the floors don’t get an upgrade. Perhaps in future years there can be roll-out carpets which would provide comfort as well as subtley keep people from getting too close to the art — some of which (especially the 3D items) have ‘Do Not Touch’ signage.
The Purchaser’s Preview event includes tickets for drinks (alcohol and also carbonated flavoured water) and service of hors d’oeuvres.
Who was there:
Government sponsors of the show include the federal government, the BC government, and the District of Sooke.
Last night’s annual Purchaser’s Preview was attended by Spencer Chandra Herbert (Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation), formerly the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. He rode his bicycle all the way from Victoria (35 km) including along Highway 14 to get to Sooke!
Chandra Herbert arrived around the same time as local MLA Dana Lajeunesse (Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility).
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait was at the show entry to greet the two MLAs arrived.
Attending the event included Sooke Municipal Councillor Kevin Pearson and Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Director Al Wickheim.
Every year Jim Hartshore of KeyCorp Developments Ltd attends and usually buys one piece each year.
Other attendees who are known across the community included Dr Chris Bryant (sponsor of this year’s Inspiration Award), Karen Stones (A Sea of Bloom), Lisa Taylor (Castle Liquor Store), Barb (Barb’s Barber Shop), Shannon Lee Rae (design lead for the SFAS), Doni Eve (President of the Sooke Region Historical Society), Fiona McDannold (of Shirley, BC), Bev Lewis (who runs the SFAS gift shop), and Mary P Brooke (publisher of Island Social Trends).
The Artist’s Awards evening that is held one week later also draws elected officials and community leaders. This year the Artists’ Award evening will be held on Friday August 1 (by invitation only), sponsored by CHEK Media.
Juror’s choices:
The Juror’s Choice pieces this year are distinctive each in their own way. Their selections that comprises the full show set a unique tone for each year’s exhibit.
This year the overall impression of the exhibit is one of open bright images, a lot of black and whites as well as bold bright colours. But overall there is a sense of gentleness and calm about this year’s show, five years after the COVID pandemic. As if the psyche has found itself recovered and people are ready to start over.
Jurors for the 2025 show are Ken Gillespie, Beth Stuart, and Razali May. Of the more than 370 art pieces in the show, the jurors have selected this pieces as their favourites:
- “Thought Crime” by Jake Pruim – a 3D visual take on the George Orwell novel 1984. Juror’s Choice selected by Beth Stuart. Sale price $5,000 [Sponsored by Island Social Trends]
- “The Wisdom Keeper” by Wilma Millette – collage-style image of an older woman showing age on her face. Juror’s Choice selected by Ken Gillespie. Sale price $3,600 [Sponsored by Point No Point Resort]
- “Untitled 53” by Greg Dow – acrylic on canvas painting of a young woman in a turban playing a flute accompanied by white birds. Jurors Choice selected by Razali May, Sale price $7,500 [Sponsored by The Times Colonist]
Economic impact:
The Sooke Fine Arts Show is organized as the feature annual revenue-generator for the Sooke Fine Arts Society.
The Society receives grant funding from the District of Sooke, the Capital Regional District, and the BC Government (but not directly from the BC Arts Council) and relies on the annual summer show ticket sales as well as sales of the art (taking a commission on art sales) and gift shop sales.
The Sooke Fine Arts Show as a 10-day event is considered a significant economic driver for the Sooke Region each year.
The event draws visitors from around the Greater Victoria area, across Vancouver Island, and more distant locations both within Canada and the United States.
Currently, the interim SFAS president is Janet Evans (a former mayor of Sooke). The new Executive Director this year is Jen Hawyard, following in the footsteps of former long-time SFAS Executive Director Terrie Moore.
===== RELATED:
- Youth exhibit upgrade at Sooke Fine Arts Show 2025 (July 12, 2025)
- Sooke Fine Arts Show 2025 is a summer highlight (July 9, 2025)
- Sponsors provide support for Sooke Fine Arts Show 2025 (June 24, 2025)
- Jurors for the 2025 Sooke Fine Arts Show (May 19, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: SOOKE FINE ARTS SHOW | SOOKE | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | CULTURE & HERITAGE