232696

Kelowna  

Art takes over Bernard Ave.

Bernard Avenue lacked vehicles but was buzzing with art lovers on Thursday under the hot, Kelowna sun.

Festivals Kelowna hosted their first ever Arts on the Avenue festival, which provided a space for local visual artists to show off and sell their pieces.

The event shut down Bernard Avenue between Water Street and Pandosy Street starting at approximately 1 p.m. The event ran from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.

“We’re trying to mirror some of the really cool events we're seeing happen around other communities, like the Richmond Night Market for example,” said Renata Mills, executive director of Festivals Kelowna. “It’s just kind of fun to shut down a street and walk where cars usually are.”

Dozens of artists were set up along Bernard Avenue, staying out of the sun under canopies.

Vivian Dere, an artist at the event, said it was very hot while setting up her display, but once the canopies were up it was bearable. She said she hopes to see the festival become an annual event

“If this could be a yearly thing, I think it could be quite a good thing for the whole Okanagan Valley artists,” Dere said. “It’s an opportunity for people to see who’s out there.”

Dere said events like this bring people together, and allow artists to see what others are up to.

“Artists are inherently not that social, so this is great for artists to meet other artists,” she said. “There are some very creative people, especially out here.”

The location of the festival brings art to people that might not go out of their way to find local art.

“It’s in such a public space, being right downtown, people can see your work that might not normally go to an arts festival,” said Natasha Harvey, another artist on Bernard Avenue. She said she normally sells her work out of her studio.

Mills hopes to see the festival become an annual event.

“As a first year, it’s a bit of a trial, we start small,” she said. “We try to perfect them and then you grow them.

“We’ve had a waiting list of artists for at least three weeks, so I think there’s definitely an opportunity to expand to another block next year.”

Mills said one man already sold a $3,000 piece before he had even finished setting up.

“I'm delighted to look around and see people buying things," Mills said. “It was worth his time."



More Kelowna News