Kamloops Arts Council Opens Annual Art in the Park

by Keiko Bolen, Kamloops Arts Council

Astaple of Kamloops’ Canada Day festivities, Art in the Park is back, and artist and performer applications are open. Every year on July 1st, artists and community booths fill beautiful Riverside Park with their marvelous artwork while talented performers entertain the estimated 30,0000 attendees for a day filled with creativity and fun. Art in the Park is both an art show and a sale, meaning creatives have the opportunity to not only display their work for tens of thousands to see, but also to sell.

As always, the Kamloops Arts Council encourages artists of all types to apply. Some mediums featured in 2023’s Art in the Park include visual art, pottery, jewelry, textilework, woodwork and metalsmithing, to name a few. The KAC endeavors to introduce the Kamloops community to a vast array of artistic mediums and hope that artists of all backgrounds and specialties are inspired to participate in this iconic event.

The great news is that applying for a booth at Art in the Park is quite simple. Since the event is hosted by the Kamloops Arts Council, artists are expected to be current members of the Council in order to participate on the day. Once you have confirmed your membership is up to date, there is a quick application form to be filled out. To accompany the completed application form, clear, well-lit photographs of the art you intend to feature at your booth are required, as well as a non-refundable $15 administration fee by the submission deadline of April 15, 2023. Submissions are then reviewed by the KAC Selection Committee, which evaluates the works based on the originality, quality and craftsmanship of the product intended to sell. If you are accepted into the event, the Arts Council will contact you by email with further information about booths and setup. Simple, right?

If the performing arts are more your speed, Art in the Park welcomes you as well. From singing and dancing to stilt walking and juggling, all forms of performing arts are encouraged to apply. Just as they hope to feature a spread of artistic styles, the KAC strives to display a great variety of performers as well.

Applications are also open for performers and close on April 15th and are just as easy to complete as the artist application. Again, there is a simple application form to complete, paired with a video or photo submission of your act. Performer applications are also reviewed by the KAC Selection Committee and are evaluated on the same qualities as noted above for the artists.

Whether you’re a thespian or a painter, the Kamloops Arts Council looks forward to receiving all of your applications featuring your wonderful, uniquely you art. For more information about Art in the Park applications for both artists and performers, please visit kamloopsarts.ca/ program/art-in-thepark/.