Arts and Entertainment

CONTACT and Artful Communities Festivals wrap up

June 7, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Building on success might have been the theme during the month of May when E. Connie Munson’s Studio by Design and Belfountain Heritage Society co-hosted this year’s “FORMS, FACES and SPACES – figuratively speaking,” art show.

It was staged for its third year and is a growing success. It was held simultaneously at the Pond Gallery, Alton Mill Arts Centre and the upper Sisnett Lobby in the Halton Hills Cultural Centre in Georgetown. As part of the CONTACT Photography Event, it attracted 50 per cent more entrees – a few from out of province. 

It ran in tandem with the inaugural ARTFUL Communities, a tapestry of the arts, staged over those three venues. Ms. Munson was pleased to touch briefly on the successes during May and thoughts for the future of the festivals.

Winners of the FORMS, FACES and SPACES – figuratively speaking are:

• First Place is Sherry Prenevost, of Mississauga, for Jubilation, hung at the Pond Gallery.
• Second Place is Stephanie Schirm, of Caledon, for Tiny Bubbles, hung at the Upper Sisnett Lobby.
• Third Place is Jody Miller, of Georgetown, for Malo, hung in the Melville White Church.

Yet, growth and success means additional financial burdens and the time has come to possibly “connect to businesses about what gives back to the human nature of art,” as Ms. Munson commented. “Heather Bambrick brought her CD’S to sell at her concert on May 19. She was very keen on participating with the festivals; she donated funds to the festival and the ad hoc advisory group.”

Judy Daley was the main adjudicator for all three exhibitions. Paul Llew-Williams was the Music Director of ARTFUL Communities. Chuck Scott, film producer and president of Caber Media, is supportive of adding a film festival.

For Ms. Munson, she loves the energy of it, the people who come and the conversations that go in different directions: “Conversations, kind of like water,” she offered. “People driven by the need to express themselves; those are minds with lots of different views are fascinating.” 

The affiliation with CONTACT is exciting, set aside as the only exhibitions that hang other fine art with photography – an “eclectic extravaganza,” she calls it.

The credibility of the festival is increasing with the 12 music events it featured, of which 11 were free or Pay What You Can. The festival also had 25 other events throughout May. Central Countries Tourism was co-funder this year but needs must find additional means and support in future.

“The Melville has been the hub,” Ms. Munson said. Still, “we would like to find a place that has more tourist traffic. Also, full time sponsors whose business and mind set really value that sort of community.”

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