Arts Trail

Self-guided tour begins a new season

The cover of this year’s Arts Trail guide features the colourful painting Bubble, Bubble by artist Claire Desjardins, and Trail Committee chair Tara Wilkinson said it was the perfect choice. “After the long, long winter that we just had, which was so very, very grey, that piece of art felt just right for the cover,” she said. This is the sixteenth season for the Arts Trail, which had its origin when a group of artists and studios partnered with Taste the County as a way to keep the arts visible on a year-round basis. “We’ve continued to grow the Trail and develop our membership and our strategic partners who support and believe in what we do,” said Wilkinson. “There are 11 studios and galleries on the trail, representing 250 artists all told, and we’ve collectively welcomed over 60,000 visitors.” The new Arts Trail guide is available at locations around the County, as well as online at the bilingual website artstrail.ca. The guide contains maps and listings of all the participating galleries and studios and is intended to help both visitors and residents have a great experience. It is more than just a way to discover inspiring and creative works of art at various price points and in a range of media, including ceramics, sculpture, painting and photography, and much more. There are also workshops, demonstrations, lectures and musical events throughout the year.

While the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly had a significant impact, many artists and studios found ways to continue to bring their services to the public. “They all pivoted in ways they needed to. Some of us moved our shops outside; some of us had special events in open-air facilities. We did all kinds of things to keep ourselves moving forward, and I think we’ve come back stronger than ever. Certainly in 2022 we saw a huge resurgence in people coming out because they wanted to get out of their homes and wanted to get that ‘soul food’ of colour from the arts,” said Wilkinson. The Arts Trail makes a huge contribution to the economy of the County, said Eleanor Cook, executive director of Visit the County. “When people are travelling, they are enjoying themselves, experiencing rest and relaxation, and they want to create memories. The people that are the front-facing deliverers of that experience are people like the Arts Trail. Collectively, they are market-ready, with a concise product in the self-guided trail. It’s available to everyone, it’s free, and while you travel from studio to studio or gallery, you are experiencing the beautiful landscape, so you’re really feeling the impact of the environment and the community. And then to be greeted by the incredibly knowledgeable and inspiring creatives, like those on the Trail, is memorable to a visitor, and is a connection to our culture,” she said. Wilkinson said the Arts Trial is not just for visitors to the County, and she encourages residents to visit the studios and galleries as well. “It’s a beautiful experience, and it’s right in your own back yard.”