By Tyler Marr

Urban Art Tour draws creative crowds

Oct 1, 2017 | 11:26 AM

Civic creativity was on full display on the streets of downtown Prince Albert over the weekend.

As part of Culture Days weekend, Central Ave. was lined with billboards Saturday pointing residents along the streets for an Urban Art Tour showcasing the cultural and artistic abundance of the city. A number of shops in the central business district housed local and regional artists so they could demonstrate their work. Photography, a wide array of art mediums and handcrafted creations were out in force.

“This is wonderful,” photographer Valerie Horner said while displaying her photo’s at Prim & Proper Decor. “Not only does it allow people to see some of the artists are doing..this allows a much wider audience.”

This was Horner’s second year on the tour. She said having the opportunity to set up a temporary shop, more so in such “beautiful buildings” was an excellent way to merge art and business.

“What a way to showcase local artists right here in the downtown area,” she said.

Missing pet

'She means the world to our family': Woman seeks help in finding missing pet parrot

17h ago

BE CAREFUL ON THE ROADS

Semi flips outside P.A.; one of dozens of incidents on Sask. roads due to winter weather

17h ago

NO GO FOR BUSES

School bus routes outside P.A. canceled due to spring snowstorm

22h ago

For Prim and Proper shop owner daughter Melissa Smith-Chayko, hosting one of the artists was a no-brainer.

“There is lots we can do with downtown…artists need a place to showcase their work and we need a way to bring downtown back to what it once was,” she said. “The artist to come down here and bring their stuff, it is great to have. There are artisans on the avenue across from us and the pottery place two doors down, it is awesome to see what is coming down here.”

Fostering an artistic central business district in the city and cultivating a basin of culture was a desire for many on the promenade, including longtime local artist Naomi McNeice.

“I am really glad it is getting a lot more flavour,” she said. “[The arts community] has grown quite a bit…and I think it is really good to bring people out and make people aware not just of local artists but the local business too and what downtown has to offer.”

This message was shared by wood artist Rodney Peterson who was just up the street at the Saskatchewan Forestry Centre. Peterson said granting artists the opportunity to display their work was a boon for business.

“When we get a chance to show, people get to pick it up and feel it and that makes a world of difference,” he said, adding he had a “great group of people coming in today” as he whittlied away on a lathe creating a small spinning top.

Growing the arts and culture community was key for Peterson who said, “most people do not really understand how important culture and art is to the community.”

“It provides a sense of belonging and aesthetic appreciation that we don’t have in many other ways,” he said. “I think you have a strong arts community here.”

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr