Saturday, July 11, 2020 ~ SOOKE, BC
by Mary Brooke, editor ~ West Shore Voice News
WEST SHORE VOICE NEWS (formerly Sooke Voice News) has been an official sponsor of the Sooke Fine Arts Show each year for almost 10 years. We contribute advertising space, oodles of news coverage, and in-depth articles about the event. “Art feeds the soul of many — the artist, the viewer, and the community which supports the collective creative process.” ~ Mary Brooke, editor, West Shore Voice News
The Purchasers Preview Night for the Sooke Fine Arts show is a highlight of the summer in the island arts community. Tickets for the July 23 online event are now on sale.
Each year it’s the opening night for the 11-day show and sale of about 370+ juried art pieces.
It’s an opportunity for collectors, art enthusiasts and supporters to acquire a favourite artwork or two, before thousands of attendees gain access to the show the next day.
Respecting the protocols of COVID-19:
Due to the pandemic, no one needs to dress up and drive to the show this year, it’s online!
“We will miss the in-person excitement of the show,” says Sooke Fine Arts Society (SFAS) Executive Director Terrie Moore. “But ultimately we had to consider the well being of our volunteers, artists and guests with respect to COVID-19 concerns,” she says.
Full range of artworks:
The selected works for this year’s show fall into the usual genres including painting, sculpture, fibre arts, glass and ceramics, jewelry and photography.
Works are by hundreds of artists from Vancouver Island and BC’s coastal islands. See names of all main gallery artists and youth gallery artists.
The results of the People’s Choice Award entries is an indicator of what people have liked the most, and sets the marketing imagery direction for the following year’s show.
Revenue adaptation:
Revenues for this year’s show will take a hit as there will be no admission tickets to sell at a live show, and there will be no gift shop sales.
But requiring online guests to purchase an access code for the July 23 online event will help with revenues.
The gallery will be available free to view online starting July 24 through to Monday August 3 on the BC Day long weekend.
Food and wine with art:
The food aspect is being creatively adapted, with charcuterie ‘grazing boxes’ being sold, with the idea of everyone enjoying their treats by 4 Beaches Catering (order by July 18) and Truffles Catering of Victoria (order by noon on July 20) all on the same evening during the Purchaser’s Preview.
See the Sooke Fine Arts Show website for links to the food purchasing opportunity.
After enjoying your grazing box goodies at home — perhaps with a glass of wine — SFAS encourages people to share their celebrations on social media tagging @SookeFineArts and using the hashtags #SookeFineArts2020 and #SookeFineArtsGala.
Other aspects of the show also online:
The online experience of SFAS this year includes viewing of all the artworks, online auction, Seniors’ Tea, Artz4Kidz, People’s Choice Award, and Youth Art Gallery.
Some live elements of the show will be posted online. Artist demos and music will be recreated with video and live virtual performances.
Youth involvement:
The youth aspect of the show has most of its parts up and running. The youth gallery will be online, and there will still be a Youth Art Scholarship Award.
A summer student work experience has been filled.
The Artz4Youth event normally held at the show on a Tuesday evening has been postponed until next year, as have any on-site volunteer opportunities.
Purchaser’s Preview tickets for sale online:
Purchasers’ Preview Night access can be purchased buy acquiring tickets at $25 each at http://sookefinearts.com/special-events-2 .
After the online show period ends August 3, there will still be an opportunity to purchase pieces up to September 30.
Jurors set the tone:
Show jurors each year set the tone of the exhibit by their collective selection of pieces by genre, colour, texture, shape and all the aspects of art that are both visual and ethereal.
This year’s jurors are Terry Fenton, Cate Rimmer and Rick Leong. Fenton was a gallery curator in Edmonton and Saskatoon and now in Victoria writes about art. Rimmer is the director/curator at Emily Carr University in Vancouver. Leong is an assistant professor of Visual Arts at the University of Victoria.
Wouldn’t miss it:
Each year Premier John Horgan (who is MLA for the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding of which Sooke is a part), attends the Sooke Fine Arts Show.
Most years Horgan makes a speech during the award night for artists.
Other VIPs also attend. In recent years that has included Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin. In election years it includes candidates for various parties.
Most of the local District of Sooke councillors and community leaders make it a highlight of their summer exposure in the community.