Moncton’s Downtown ArtWalk A Chance For Businesses To Promote Local Artists
MONCTON – Up to 20 businesses will host artists and artisans September 15 as part of the first Downtown Moncton ArtWalk. The event aims to promote local businesses and artists, inspire businesses to display local art, and create a cultural experience for the city.
Dany Chiasson, the owner of Atlantic Cell Phone Repair on St. George St., is taking part in the initiative.
“We can bring businesses together and promote artists. So people will walk into the business and they’ll have a memory of that [art] when they come in,” he said. “Or people will go for art and see us. Sometimes there are other people who know about us but they haven’t come into the store. That would be a chance for them to come and see.”
Chiasson is hoping to host a food vendor and one jeweller or painter at his shop. He said it’s important that businesses take part in promoting local artists.
“They belong to the community, they need to be known. Moncton is like a family. Every business depends on each other. The artists are the same way,” he said.
Other businesses taking part as hosts include The Old Triangle, Boutique 2ieme Look, TD Bank, McKenzie College, R.D. MacLean and My HOME Mercantile.
Aside from providing the venue, businesses can also sponsor an artist’s entry to the event. Artists or artisans who want to participate can register for a fee. Up to 45 artists will be accepted. All the art they display must be for sale and all of the proceeds of any art sold will go back to the artists.
It’s free to look at the art, but those wanting to try samples of food and beverages will need to buy vouchers. Profits from this will be donated to a program supporting local art students.
Amber Richards of Amber Effect Events, who is organizing the event with Natalie Sexton of Hidden Artists Events, says Moncton has a strong art community that needs to be promoted.
“The Downtown Moncton ArtWalk will foster a stronger art appreciation culture in Moncton. A lot of people are intimidated. They don’t realize how diverse art is and that there is something for everyone. We have a strong art community, but I don’t know if the broad community truly understands what we have here,” she said in a press release.
Participating artist Lysanne Lombard donated a painting that will be auctioned off on Downtown Moncton ArtWalk Facebook Page between August 31 and September 15. The proceeds will be added to a GoFundMe account for artist Ian Saxby, who recently lost everything in a house fire and is still recovering from his injuries.