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5th annual Jail and Bail fundraiser
JENNIFER NOW AT GENESIS
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z | Page 2
Tuesday to Saturday
Downtown Tire, Brake and Muffler
Call 778-470-4247 to book today!
z | Page 5 Volume 15 Number 12 | 50¢
25 years experience
#3 - 319 Victoria Street
March 24, 2016
Hop over to the coolest art show around We may not have a performing arts centre… yet, but that doesn’t mean that art is not alive and thriving in downtown Kamloops. In addition to what our big downtown arts groups are doing; think Kamloops Arts Council, Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops Symphony, Western Canada Theatre and Arnica, our downtown businesses have also embraced downtown truly being the art mecca here in the city. This is no more apparent than when you visit one of downtown’s newest brewery and popular hangout; Red Collar Brewing on the 300 block of Lorne Street. The interesting and eclectic eatery and beer provider has embraced the idea of community. Everything from their hiring philosophies to the way they try to re-use and recycle absolutely everything plays into this. But what really makes them an art friendly business is the artwork that is gracing their walls right this second. “When we opened, some people complained that it was bare and minimalist,” explained Annamarie Beardsell of the brewery. “We just didn’t want to go out and purchase stock art from up the hill, we wanted it to mean something, we wanted everything to have significance.” What came out of this desire is probably one of the coolest
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Top: perfect example of community, Red Collar has saved their malt bags to donate to Joanne Beltramedi of the Pritchard 4H club. They try to reuse and recycle absolutely everything that comes out of the brewery right down to their picnic tables made of 2x4 ends.
Bottom: Annamarie Beardsell poses in the faux living room setup in Red Collar. The artwork behind her is from their latest art show and they rehomed from Downtown Kamloops Place Management and Events Coordinator Ali Webster.
art shows around. With the help and idea from staff, they came up with a bi-annual contest in which they would commission art from local artists who could submit art matching a certain theme. Accepted submissions get hung in the brewery, artists are invited to an opening and rewarded with a free beer. “Our first art show was themed ‘Hops and Hounds’,” says Annamarie. “Those submissions were up until November. The artwork up currently is ‘Design your own beer label’. We will keep these up until June 26.” The art is hung over all the walls. There is an ode to Homer Simpson, a beautiful sugar skull and everything in between. In addition to showing the pieces, Red Collar allows the artists to sell the work themselves right from the walls of the brewery. “We put tags beside the work with a price if they want to sell and their email address so interested buyers can contact them directly.” If you are interested in creating work for their next show, keep an ear out. Submissions will be open in September and a theme is on its way. You should stop by and check out the gallery of artistic beer labels donning the walls of Red Collar. You will also be - continued on page 2
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