This is the 13 th year for ARTrageous, which is better known in creative circles around town as Whistler’s official art party, hosted by the Whistler Arts Council.
“It’s one night where we can celebrate the arts, so we include Sea to Sky artists and artisans and give them a one night showcase to really bring all of the different genres together,” said Ali Richmond, marketing coordinator for WAC.
The evening isn’t just another opportunity for local artists to put their work in the public eye — though that’s an additional benefit.
“All of the artwork is on sale… but that’s not its main reason for being,” Richmond said. “…I think a lot of the artists just find it a good place to exhibit their work and get their name out there, because I know some of the other artists in town have used it as a stepping stone.”
Rather, the event focuses on celebrating the range of talented artists that call Whistler home. While the Arts Council is commonly known to organize practical or commercial events to help grow the arts sector, this annual sold-out party is a bit of a departure from their typical event. It’s also a great opportunity for creative minds to meet, face to face.
But there’s no need to worry about an exclusive atmosphere — art lovers and creators alike are welcomed with open arms.
“Not everyone that goes to ARTrageous is necessarily an artist or even involved. A lot of people come just because it’s a good party… it always brings out a wide range of people.”
Over 13 years, the event has grown quite a bit. It actually used to be held as a standalone event in July, but a few years ago, WAC teamed up with the organizers of Cornucopia to roll their party into the celebration of food and wine, hoping to appeal to tourists as well as locals.
“Every year, it gets better and better,” said Richmond. “It’s gotten a reputation the last few years — it’s sold out. We had people begging us for tickets.”
This year, the party has been dubbed the Evolution of Art, with the party divided into sections based on different genres of art: abstract, expressionism, pop art, urban art and surrealism. Each section will be decorated according to their genre, with live models painted by local artist, Cary Campbell Lopes.
They’ve asked exhibiting artists to submit and categorize their artwork into one of the genres, which may also encourage artists to push their creative limitations and produce new work, or simply dig through their portfolio for a piece that falls within the defined categories.
“It’s pretty neat, because we’ve been getting a lot of work from people that we’ve never seen before, some stuff that people have never exhibited before because its sort of out of what they usually do, and this is the perfect place to exhibit it,” Richmond said.
Last year, they had approximately 12 local artists exhibit artwork, and this year, they’re expecting at least that many, and are hoping for a few new artists to come out of the woodwork.
“You get a lot of these people that were closet artists, that have never come out before and never exhibited their work before,” said Richmond. “…There are always one or two new artists that we’ve never heard of before, which is always exciting.”
There’s also a musical component to the event, with a DJ spinning the night away, and loads of interactive art stations to encourage people to explore the right side of their brains.
“This year, we’re also going to have interactive art stations that give the partygoers a chance to take part in this whole creative process, and hopefully get some inspiration from the artwork that you see,” said Richmond.
The art stations will range from pop art-inspired bold stencils to paint and canvas, and the finished products will be hung in the venue as the night goes on.
“So all of these stations end up adding to the décor and the whole atmosphere of the party.”
In addition to the hands-on stations, organizers are also looking into presenting a live life drawing demonstration, so people can watch an artist at work, and even try their hand at the easel.
And the Creekside location is perfect for the multifaceted event. This year, the upstairs portion of Dusty’s will house a photo station with photographer Matt Walker, where party attendees can go with friends to strike a pose, and have their photos displayed live on a screen downstairs.
“We bring in some funky props and Matt Walker will just take pictures of you and your friends,” Richmond explained. “Last year, we had a motor bike, this year I think he’s just going to find some other crazy things.”
Partygoers are also encouraged to transform into artists through costume to help get into the spirit of things.
“Come as an artist, so whether that’s you exaggerating your creative self and coming as whatever you think an artist is, maybe just a little funky and eccentric, or else you can actually come as an artist, like Bob Ross,” said Richmond.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the WAC office.
