People’s Choice returns for second time

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

ultural Collective, in partnership with the Wheatland Society of Arts, is presenting their second annual People’s Choice Awards arts competition.

Carolyn Steeves, chair of the Vault Cultural Collective, is excited to be able to host this event for a second time. 

“After doing it once last year, we fine-tuned it a little bit, but it’s pretty similar,” said Steeves. “Our theme this year is ‘Strathmore This Year.’ We are doing this in tandem with Alberta Culture Days. Alberta Culture Days in Alberta is always the month of September.

“Because anybody can enter – we have categories 12 and under, 13 to 18 and 19 and over.”  

Steeves also explained the fourth category this year is En Plein Air which, to those of us not into the art scene, and actually translates to ‘outside,’ and is “a piece of art that you have literally paint on an easel outside,” she said. “A lot of artists really like to do En Plein art in the spring-summer and fall when it’s reasonable to actually be outside.”

The Wheatland Society of Arts recently hosted an En Plein Air workshop in July, so having this new category really brings the two organizations together. 

Another minor change this year is the theme needs to be represented in whatever art piece is submitted. 

“Because our theme is ‘Strathmore This Year’ whatever age enters – whatever age of child or adult or teen that enters – their art has to reflect something about Strathmore, (so) it has to be pretty obvious that there’s something from Strathmore in the painting or whatever artwork.

“We’ve really opened it up, like it can be wall art, Lego, playdough, photography, digital art, painting; almost anything, really. We’re hoping that we would even get some younger children … being able to do playdough or Lego because a lot of kids like to do dioramas and that sort of thing.” 

Steeves and her team are also aware that a lot of youth like to dabble in digital art, hoping to encourage those emerging artists to enter. 

“We wanted to have it as broad as possible basically to include as many people as possible,” she said. 

If anyone is interested in sponsoring this event and help with prizes for the artists, they are invited to contact the Vault (thevaultcc2021@gmail.com).

Some other rules to note prior to submission of artwork are as follows:

• Who can enter: The competition is for armature artists. Those who already show their art in The Vault are not allowed to enter.

• How many items can be submitted: Only one piece of art per person will be accepted.

• Size limitation: No bigger than 11×14.

• No portraits will be accepted.

• For display purposes you may mat, frame, if appropriate.

Procedure for submission and voting is as follows;

• All art must be submitted to The Vault from Sept. 4-7 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Each artist will be asked to complete an entry form.

 • The public is invited to come in and enter their ballots for their favourite artwork. They can vote as many times as they like between Sept. 9-21.

 • The ballots will be counted the afternoon of Sept. 21, and the artist will be contacted. All artwork will continue to be on display until Saturday, Sept. 28.

On the afternoon of Sept. 28 at 2:30 p.m., there will be a gathering to celebrate art in all of its forms at The Vault where the People’s Choice Awards will be presented and artwork can be picked up. More information of the event can be found at the Vault.