Wednesday July 9, 2025 | SOOKE, BC [Posted 11 am | Updated 12:08 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends (see show sponsors)
The 2025 Sooke Fine Arts Show is just around the corner!
The celebration of artwork across all genres runs for 10 days, this year from July 26 through August 4, including daily through the BC Day Long Weekend . [See Island Social Trends SUMMER EVENTS CALENDAR]
Each year the show transforms the arena at the SEAPARC Recreation Centre in Sooke into a high-calibre exhibit gallery together with gift shop and live performance areas.
The artwork brings forth a display of both the depth and freshness of the Islands’ creative talent.
This year’s show promises to inspire, challenge, and captivate audiences with an extraordinary collection of contemporary work.
It’s also an opportunity for the community of artists and their supporters to mingle at the exhibit and the various events.
The event is an economic driver for the Sooke region during the height of the summer tourism season.
39 years:
Now in its 39th year, the event that is well known in art circles features a juried gallery of artworks by artists from Vancouver Island and BC’s coastal islands, along with live music, artist demonstrations, talks, guided tours, and engaging activities for youth, families, and seniors.
Each year three jurors are chosen to select what ends up on display at the show; the 2025 Sooke Fine Arts Show jurors are Ken Gillespie, Beth Stuart, and Mazali May. For these jurors it’s a career opportunity and each year results in a different flavour of show including sculpture, fibre, jewellery, woodworking, photography, digital art, glass, and ceramics.
The 10-day show kicks off each year with a Purchasers’ Preview Night. That’s coming up on Friday July 25. The $55 tickets are limited — tickets available online.
Over 370 artworks by more than 260 artists will comprise this year’s exhibit.
Tickets:
For Sooke Fine Arts Show 2025, tickets may be purchased online, at these prices (GST included):
- Adults: $17
- Seniors: $12
- Children and youth (17 and under): FREE
Tickets are also available at the door.
Admission includes access to the exhibit, the food concession, the music, a printed program, and the opportunity to participate in selecting the most popular art pieces of the season.
Youth art:
The show also proudly features emerging talent in the newly refurbished Youth Art Gallery, which will display 45 works by 20 high school artists from School District 62 Sooke.
This year’s youth gallery benefits from a new lighting system that mirrors the main gallery’s professional setup.
“Bringing the youth display up to the same standards as the main gallery has been a goal of the organization for several years,” says Jen Hayward, Executive Director, Sooke Fine Arts Show.
New closing hours:
The show that opens at 10 am daily will close at 6 pm on most days.
- For the two special events on Family Artz Day on July 29 the venue will be open to 7pm
- On M-art-ket Night on July 31 the venue will remain open to 9 pm in conjunction with the Sooke Region Museum’s Night Market.
- On BC Day long weekend’s Friday and Monday (August 1 and August 4) the show will close at 5 pm. See: events and closing times.
Non-profit:
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is a not-for-profit, federally registered charity #R852375765RR0001.
Revenues are garnered through ticket sales but also the art-submission fees and hanging fees, as well as many show sponsors.
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NEWS SECTIONS: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SOOKE FINE ARTS SHOW | SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND