Local artists can see their work flying on banners along Victoria Avenue by entering the Arts Station Banner Project.
The project is now in its ninth year giving local artists a chance to add some personal flair to downtown.
In total, the Banner Project Committee is looking for 36 works of art to showcase on the 2012 City of Fernie banners and, just as last year, lampposts along Victoria Avenue will don the various works of art which will reflect the diverse artistic community that is Fernie.
All selected art will be showcased on high-quality outdoor banners and will continue to bring interest to our streets and gives more profile to the great artistic talent we have in this community.
The project gives the opportunity to many artists to showcase their arts as most mediums can be photographed and reproduced on a banner.
From quilting to pottery, the banner gives another life to art works, and over the years, the banners around Fernie have become a trademark of the town.
What are the adjudicators looking for? “Bold colours, striking imagery that stands out from a distance, variation in themes and artistic disciplines,” says Project Coordinator, Donna Miller and “It has to be eye-catching to the street-level observer.”
Though Donna will not be an adjudicator, she will be setting up this anonymous committee. Having been an adjudicator for many years, she knows the important aspects of the process.
What kind of mediums will be accepted? Submissions of paintings, quilts, stained glass, sculpture, pottery and photography are welcome. Artists are asked to submit up to two images maximum and the work must be submitted as a jpeg file on a compact disc. Also, please consider carefully the dimensions of the photographed works as the artwork will need to be cropped to a 1 wide by 2 high ratio. Images that do not fit this ratio may have to be adjusted. Please supply a 70 word bio/description – including your name – as a file on the CD.
If an artist needs assistance with creating the digital photograph of their work, they can contact Courtney Baker at The Arts Station at 423-4842 or Donna Miller, Project Coordinator at miller_g@hotmail.com and they can put you in touch with a local photographer who is available to help.
Submissions deadline is no later than 3 p.m. on Friday, February 17. Please drop off a jpeg file and bio/description on CD, with your name written on the disc to the Arts Station before the deadline. Further submission information and guidelines are available on The Arts Station website at www.theartsstation.com under “Get Involved”.
The City of Fernie and District Arts Council provides services to help this project but it is the sponsorship of the individual banners that make it sustainable. Each banner is available for sponsorship at the cost of $100. The banners are hung along Victoria Avenue and Fourth Street for one year, and then re-located to the highway. After two years on display the sponsor will receive the banner. If you are keen to become a sponsor of one of the banners, they will be presented at The Banner Project Launch being hosted at the Arts Station on Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m.
For more information contact Courtney Baker at 250-423-4842 or email assistant@theartsstation.com