Art Town

What It Is

Art Town is a collective of about 20 artists and craftspeople within the City of Owen Sound, set up to promote their own work. Following two studio tours, 2002's event was an exhibition called "Under One Roof". For 2003 we had a studio tour again on Mothers Day weekend, May 10 to 11. For 2004 and 2005 we completed studio tour in early August. This weekend followed the popular Tom Thomson Days, a community festival held in Owen Sound and Leith. In 2007 we held an exhibition at Mudtown Pottery to help celebrate Owen Sound's 150th birthday. In 2008 we are initiating Third Thursdays evenings from May through September.

A portion of sales is donated to sponsor the Caron Cooper Children's Art Bursary at the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery.

View of 2002's's event "Under One Roof", 2002

Mandate:

The Art Town Collective was formed in September 1999. A group of Owen Sound artists met to explore ways they could raise awareness in the local community of the exceptionally large number of visual artists and craftspeople living and working here. It chose the name "Art Town" to help inform the local community of the wealth of talent within its boundaries. The mandate of the Art Town Collective is to promote the work of its members to both the local and regional audience.

Owen Sound is fortunate to be a culturally rich community, with an exceptional municipally-owned Art Gallery (the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery), the Owen Sound Little Theatre with its own facility (the Roxy Theatre) and the Georgian Bay Symphony Orchestra. The Collective hopes to add to the richness of the town's cultural life through such events as studio tours or exhibitions and to reinforce the image of Owen Sound as a cultural destination by the use of the "Art Town" name.

Art Town believes that by organizing and promoting an annual event for Owen Sound artists, it can benefit the cultural life of the community.