The 2019 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl had another banner year, marginally exceeding 2018’s record number of venue visits and total sales, according to Coast Cultural Association director Linda Williams.
Williams told an Oct. 27 gathering of about two dozen artist/venue-operators that the Oct. 18-20 event generated some 49,000 studio visits, up about six per cent from 2018. Sales topped $451,000, an increase from 2018 of about four per cent.
After the 20-per-cent jump in numbers in 2018 compared to 2017, organizers saw the possibility of a similar leap this year, but Williams said two factors likely played a role: a weekend of pelting rain, and the fact that the Crawl was right on the heels of Thanksgiving. “There were only four days between the Thanksgiving weekend and the Art Crawl weekend. Next year, there will be a week in between, which I think will make some difference,” she said.
Thanksgiving falls on Monday, Oct 12 in 2020. The Art Crawl will run Oct. 23-25.
There was an especially bright note regarding commissioned sales, where Art Crawl visitors arrange for new artwork to be made by local artists. Commissions were up 30 per cent to $120,000 this year from $92,000 in 2018.
The sales numbers don’t include all the positive economic spillover into the community at large, such as restaurant, accommodation and other retail purchases made by visitors.
Williams said that the Art Crawl organizers’ budget is about $32,000, of which $23,000 is recouped from brochure advertising and venue operators’ participation fee of $115 each. About $6,500 more comes from local government grants. She noted that the District of Sechelt dropped its contribution this year to $500. “We were really disappointed,” said Williams. She added that Art Crawl venues within the district this year reaped about $128,000 in sales.
Some of the artists who came to hear Williams’ report said they had fewer visitors this year, but they still matched or exceeded last year’s sales. Even if they didn’t sell as much, they said that dealing with fewer people can allow more time for quality interaction with visitors.
“My peak numbers were about 450 visits one year, which is a little overwhelming,” said Roberts Creek blacksmith Kelly Backs. Added textile artist Maureen Sugre of Clothology in Sechelt, “I really enjoyed the chance to talk to people about my process.”
For abstract painter Cindy Ross, things could not have gone better. She sold most of the paintings she had on display at her venue at High Beam Dreams in Gibsons. “It was my first Crawl, and it was a magical experience,” said Ross.
