Artists from across the Sea to Sky region are invited to submit their creative interpretations of one of British Columbia’s most iconic and threatened species: the grizzly bear.
The Coast to Cascades Grizzly Bear Initiative and Pemberton Arts Council are set to host a Grizzly Bear Art Show on Oct. 17 at the Pemberton & District Community Centre. The juried exhibition aims to raise awareness of the cultural, ecological and emotional significance of grizzly bears through visual art.
“For thousands of years in the Sea to Sky area of southwest B.C., grizzly bears [have been] prominently connected to First Nations Culture & History and are an important species significantly contributing to the health and vitality of ecosystems,” said organizers on social media.
“Grizzly bears can be protective and gentle, they are intelligent, inquisitive and often misunderstood. Today, grizzly bears face mounting pressures to survive on a changing landscape, and while some populations are recovering, others could become locally extirpated within our lifetime.“
Organizers encourage artists to reflect on the role of the grizzly bear in the local landscape and the future of its survival.
Submissions are open from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15, with artists from St’át’imc Nations, Whistler and the Pemberton and Bridge River Valleys eligible to apply. Youth and adult artists alike are encouraged to explore themes of conservation, emotion and connection to place through 2D works, 3D sculptures or reliefs or photographic works. A full list of the eligible media is available through the event’s submission form, here.
Accepted pieces will be displayed at the October exhibition, where attendees and a jury will vote on the top three submissions in two age categories. The top three will receive $200, $350 and $500 cash prizes. Additional prizes will be available for artists under 14.
Artists may submit up to three pieces, with at least one guaranteed to be included in the show. Artworks may also be offered for sale, with 70 per cent of proceeds going to the artist and 30 per cent supporting the organizing partners.
For full submission guidelines, visit the Pemberton Arts Council website.
