The Here’s Bowen Arts Tour is returning for a second year, with even more artists, performances and hub stations to explore.
The tour is taking place this Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25, at 23 different locations across Bowen. There’s 135 artists participating with works that span the visual, musical and literary arts. The tour runs from 11 am to 4 pm each day, with numerous special demonstrations and performances taking place throughout the weekend.
“It brought together the community to revisit some of the locations that they hadn’t gone to before, or to connect with artists and see their new works,” says Marie Neys, local artist and tour co-founder, on the inaugural event last year. The high turnout for the tour’s first go – both in terms of artists and visitors to the different hubs and island as a whole – made the prospect of it being an annual event a certainty.
“I think that’s important to have that continuity,” says Neys, who always envisioned the tour continuing on a late Spring weekend. “There’s amazing Arts on Bowen, and some years certain people can’t take part and other years others will take part. So there’s always something new to see.”
Not only is the tour returning, but many of last year’s artists are as well. Sourcing talent turned out to be an easier task too with one event already in the books. “In year one we did a lot of reaching out to the galleries and individual artists. In year two, we basically just started putting out our emails to the artists and they responded very quickly. They were enthused,” explains Neys. “It’s been embraced by the community as well as the artists as a good event.”
To help attendees plan their weekend the Here’s Bowen Arts Tour Guide was created. Inside the 44 page booklet – mailed to each home on the island and also available on the tour’s website at bowenartstour.com – are profiles of each artist, a list of each hub and who will be there, and a schedule of events for special performances. There’s also a map to help guide folks as they traverse the island, and tips for the best ways to get around along with things to do at each location.
Neys thanks her fellow Arts Tour team members – Liz Nankin, Kathy Clarke, Heather Doherty and Paul Zysman – for their tireless work organizing and planning the event. “Once we open up registrations it’s a matter of planning and laying out the route, making sure we have the information about all the artists and the demos and the performances, and being able to coordinate it,” she says.
Neys also credits “countless hours of creating the tour guide in cooperation with Tracey Wait at the Undercurrent,” for enhancing the weekend experience.
Each artist will have their work available for sale for those looking to add a new piece to their collection. Neys adds in addition to supporting local artists, it’s also a great opportunity for residents and visitors to explore all of Bowen’s shops and restaurants.
“It brought together the community to revisit some of the locations that they hadn’t gone to before, and to connect with artists that maybe they hadn’t seen their new works,” said Neys of last year’s tour.
“We had a number of people who say, I live on the island and I’ve never been to either of the cideries. So they were able to go and see some of the local businesses… and see the wealth of art and the variety of artists we have on Bowen.”
