Visual Arts in Edmonton and at King's

The Works International Visual Arts Society, a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization, usually has a huge impact on the arts community in the summer, when they host their arts festival. Their mission is to provide support to the artistic community while promoting visual arts and design among the public. This year, the organization is saddened as they will not be able to host The Works Art & Design Festival this summer, but they have already had plans to reopen come June-July 2021.

However, not to fret, it’s not entirely over yet! The Works knows how important art is and how many ways we use art during this time in various ways. Whether visual displays, paintings, or dances, art is an important form of entertainment and expression and certainly something that keeps us busy during this pandemic!

Here are a few ways that The Works International Visual Arts Society is keeping up the connections among their artists and audiences and how you can be a part of this organization’s movement too!

E-Newsletters
If you are an art fan like I am or just wanting to keep up to date with the happenings of this organization, you can sign up for their newsletter to learn about the different events and opportunities they have planned.

On Now
Though the festival itself is cancelled, their website has a tab called “on now” which features current exhibits that you can visit as you’re taking a stroll or drive around the city. This tab will keep you up to date with some of the art that you can experience and connect with at a distance.

Donations
A lot of these artists and designers who work on such great masterpieces are often freelance artists or travel from place to place in order to make a living. During these times when festivals are cancelled, we are pulling together as a community to help everyone and anyone we can. Their website is packed with ways you can help donate to the organization and to many of the artists and designers. A little goes a long way!

Express Your Inner Artist
Art can be expressed in so many ways and I particularly love it because what you express can connect with others as well. I encourage you to make your own art, experience it, and bask in it. Art can be entertainment so if you’re doing art to entertain yourself, it counts. If you’re making art for justice, peace, or to support or make your voice be heard, then that counts. The festival may have been cancelled but that shouldn’t stop you from expressing what you’re passionate about.

Like you, this organization knows how unfamiliar and odd this year is but it is definitely one for embracing change and creativity. I can’t wait to see what kinds of art you partake in this summer and hopefully this organization has sparked some interest and made your brain bubble with opportunity to create.

Want to pursue your artistic side while studying at King’s? Check out our visual art, and fine art, and performance art options!

Yours truly,
Bianca