Back in 2017, shortly after the business first opened, The Crow’s Nest Artist Collective in Willow Point wanted to find a way to celebrate the youngest artists in our community and encourage them in their artistic endeavours, no matter what those endeavours might be.
That seed of an idea produced Young At Art, an exhibition that displayed artwork by anyone under the age of 18 who wanted to take part. The Crow’s Nest partnered up with other local arts businesses and organizations to generate prizes and put on a wonderful reception, giving these kids as close to a real “gallery installation” experience as they could.
Two years later, they did it again, and it turned out to be even bigger and better than the first.
But a global pandemic put the 2021 edition of the biennial event into question.
“We did pull together a virtual version of it on social media,” says Crow’s Nest owner Nadia Rieger, “and while it was great to still be able to do something to recognize and celebrate the kids’ work, it just wasn’t the same.”
But the event is making its grand in-person return this spring.
Throughout the month of March, The Crow’s Nest will again be accepting artwork made by anyone 17 years of age or under to be displayed in their space throughout the month of April for the public to come and enjoy.
Then, on April 29, thanks to partnerships with Patrons Of The Arts, the Campbell River Arts Council, Campbell River Art Gallery and a variety of local artists, they will be hosting a reception and awards ceremony full of family-friendly art activities, music and prizes in various age categories, as well as a “People’s Choice” award that the public will be voting on throughout the month.
This year, The Crow’s Nest has also teamed up with The John Howard Society of North Island to make the event into a fundraiser for their KidStart program, which matches children and youth with volunteer adult mentors within our community. They are also using the exhibition as a fundraiser for the Crow’s Nest Kids Art Fund, which provides financial support for kids who want to attend classes or purchase art supplies but can’t afford it, or otherwise assist in their artistic passions.
“We wanted to broaden the community impact the event has even more this year,” says Mike Davies, outreach and events manager for The Crow’s Nest, “and the first program I thought of that we could help was KidStart. They serve an important role in supporting the youth of our community, which is exactly what we’re trying to do with this event, so it was a no-brainer to reach out and see they wanted to be involved.”
So if you know a young artist who would like to show off their work, have them (or their parents) contact Davies by email at crowsnestoutreach@gmail.com or drop into the collective at 2550A South Island Highway in Willow Point to get a copy of the submission requirements. The exhibition is free to enter, but there are a few rules to follow in terms of sizing and hanging requirements, so make sure you know those before dropping off your work.
And even if you don’t know any kids who want to be in the show, make sure you stop by The Crow’s Nest during the month of April to check out the exhibition and show the young artists of our community that their work is appreciated.