Rossland youth will soon see their work on display throughout downtown.
The Rossland Art Walk will showcase youth art in six local businesses, as well as the Rossland Youth Action Network (YAN) Space, on Sunday, May 1, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Youth have had the opportunity to learn different art techniques through YAN’s programming.
“We have always offered and facilitated art programs for youth to come and get free art supplies and learn different art and craft with different artists,” explains Kristen Renn, local artist and facilitator for YAN. “We always have ongoing art on Monday nights for them to do that, as well as after school, anytime they are allowed to come and use art supplies as well.”
In previous years YAN has hosted an art show for youth week, but this is the first time for it’s done an art walk. This year art lovers can also expect to see more sculpture and three dimensional art.
“A lot of times in an art show there’ll be a lot of wall art, which is great, like a lot of two dimensional art, but this year I’ve been really asking the youth, like ‘I want your sculptures; I want stuff that I can hang from the ceiling. Anything that you think is art, I want to see it,’” says Renn. “Because we have had quite a few responses for venues in Rossland, so we want to make sure that we have a good amount of art at each venue.”
The venues will also be offering lemonade during the art walk in a fierce, but friendly lemonade contest.
“A lot of times at art walks, normal art walks, venues have wine and cheese and things to offer, but this is youth geared, youth focused so we wanted to have something else that people could kind of go around and get a little refreshment,” says Renn.
Everyone is invited to come out and participate in the art walk. It starts at the YAN Space, where participants can pick up their own copy of the art walk map, as well as ballots to vote for their favourite art and lemonade. Those who attend are asked to bring their own cup for sampling lemonade.
Awards for art and the lemonade contest will be given out at the Youth Week Gala on Thursday, May 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Rossland Summit School. The artwork will remain on display in the venues until Friday, so those who can’t make the art walk will still have a chance to check it out.
For those who do attend the walk, Renn recommends coming early, while there’s still plenty of lemonade.