
Have you attended Lake Country ArtWalk? If yes, you are familiar with this successful community event and will be able to relate to the following description of this unique, multi-arts festival. If you have not yet attended, stay tuned to hear about one of the most special annual events you can count on in the Okanagan.
The second weekend of every September finds two side by side school sites transformed to become a massive art show, accompanied by non-stop music on four stages, all sprinkled with a number of special events. A foot bridge crosses the creek that separates the two schools in a park like setting, and that leads you to all the outdoor and indoor events.
Why would you want to mark this year’s dates of September 7 and 8? Why would you want to attend ArtWalk? To start with, this festival is such a fun experience. You will be amazed at how much art of such a variety of types and styles are on display. It is the best opportunity to meet many artists from our region and beyond, and to see what has been newly created in the art world. You are free to meander throughout the spaces to check out the original, high-quality art from over 100 artists.
Some very popular events are not to be missed. Imagine watching three artists at a time compete to complete a painting in only 15 minutes. Or, be entertained by the live auction of a selection of paintings that were created in front of your eyes in only an hour. Artists’ talks, workshops, demonstrations, film showings, and sometimes an opera singer on stilts, all add sparks to the two-day festival.
Why would you want to take your family to ArtWalk? After paying the amazingly low admission of only two-dollars, you will find that there is something to catch the attention of everyone in your family. Sculptures made out of metal pieces, wearable art garments made with fibres, photographs, and beautiful paintings of every subject and style imaginable are to be found in the many display areas. Installation art, an unusual art form, will result in a display created for a specific site. The inspiring Youth Gallery showcases the artworks created by many students from the local students. You might want to watch the live model drawing, or to participate in the Children’s Creative Art Station, which provides the materials and guidance to create art.
Time for a break? A large assortment is provided by the food trucks for a tasty lunch, which you might enjoy while sitting outside in the courtyard that features a new music performance each hour. It seems to be the perfect place to run into old friends, or to meet people over a cup of coffee in a rich and engaging environment.
What does ArtWalk do for our community? It is clear that if a community is to be a great place to visit, or is the perfect place to call home, it must have a good balance of features. Along with the essentials of water, jobs, roads and homes, a community must also include bits of nature, gathering places for socializing, and of course culture. The arts offer experiences that delight us, that touch our emotions, that broaden our perspectives and understanding, and that generally help us be creative and happy. ArtWalk is a major cultural event for Lake Country and the broader region. It gives many opportunities to be an observer or a participant in valuable arts experiences. Respecting different interests, this festival enables everyone to choose from music, dance, drama, visual arts or maybe all areas of the arts.
It contributes to the community’s finances in many direct and in-direct ways. It is one of the key events that support artists by giving them opportunities to become known to the public, and to gain income through the sale of their art. It is hard to imagine a larger collection of art from which to choose gifts or a special piece of art for home or office.
But what are the surprises? Each year, ArtWalk is planned
around the same basic components of a large, rich, multi-arts festival. What does change each year is the Theme that becomes the focus for planning and that triggers the unique features and events that are different from those of previous years. Each year, visitors are curious to see which props, décor and events will be awaiting them because of the annual theme. Planning is still underway for 2024, so be sure to be there to discover which theme was chosen this year, and which surprises will be embedded in this year’s festival.
This festival is a special part of Lake Country. An army of willing volunteers work all year to plan, prepare, set up and produce this community festival. Our success is evident when we see satisfied and inspired visitors.
Visit www.lakecountryartwalk.ca over the next few months to find
out all the details you will need, and to guide you to ArtWalk 2024
and its surprises.
Lake Country ArtWalk 2024 • Saturday and Sunday, September 7
and 8, from 10:00am-5:00pm both days. Admissions is only a toonie. Public transit, a shuttle bus, and local parking will all make it easy to get to the Lake Country Community Complex and the HS Grenda Middle School to be part of Lake Country ArtWalk.
Dr. Sharon McCoubrey is Professor Emeritus at UBC, following a career in art education. Sharon’s research was in art and well-being, intergenerational learning, aboriginal learning and public art. She now values her work in community arts, including ArtWalk, the Public Art Commission, and the Lake Country Art Gallery.