According to the North Hastings Quilt Club:

The aim of the show is to present the full spectrum of the amazing talents of our members.  In the North Hastings Quilt Club we have quilters of every skill level working on a variety of projects covering all aspects of needle art.

More information here.

In the northern region of Hastings County, you will find the small Village of Maynooth.  Nestled a hop skip and a jump away from Algonquin Park, this tiny, yet thriving community is home to a small main street business section including the brand new Hastings Highlands Municipal Office and community centre, a school, liquor store, bank, post office, various artisans and a house that the Group of 7 liked to paint (photo above of painting by artist A.J. Casson).

The house is next to a United Church and now the centre of debate over its future sale.  The church wants to buy the house and tear it down. But others want to to try and save it by finding a buyer willing to preserve its postulated historic value.

How much?  The house is apparently selling for $35,000!  Estimates for repair and upgrades are in the $50,000 range.  So for less than $100,000 someone can own this gem and hopefully preserve it as either a living space or perhaps do some research into whether it can become a tourist stop, art gallery or cultural centre of some sort for the community.

According to Tom Newman, owner of the Arlington Hotel in Maynooth and past-chairman of the Maynooth Downtown Revitalization Committee, (and as reported in the Bancroft Times), “historic buildings are important to economic development and tourism”.  He adds that the Revitalization Committee published a report outlining “…the three main assets identified for the main street were its proximity to Algonquin Park, the stock of historic buildings and the growing arts community here.  This house fits all three categories.”

As published by the Bancroft Times, the owner of the property is keeping options open.  But in the meantime, Tom Newman has started a new Facebook page: “Save the Maynooth ‘Group of Seven’ House”.  Check out his Facebook page and join in on the discussion.

Come and enjoy the rugged landscape and spectacular autumn colours while driving to visit artisans and view their unique creations.  Look for the pine tree logo signs to direct you, while brochures and maps are available at local businesses, the Bancroft & District Chamber of Commerce or at www.bancroftstudiotour.org

Read the entire story as covered by the Community Press.

You can also visit Donna Bonin’s gallery along scenic Oak Lake near Stirling.  Here’s a link to her Arts Route profile.

Join Canadians in hundreds of cities and towns across the country during the second annual Culture Days weekend!

The third annual Culture Days weekend will take place September 28, 29 and 30, 2012, and will feature thousands of free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to participate “behind-the-scenes,” to discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators, designers and other creative people in their communities.

Culture Days is a collaborative movement that welcomes your participation. Everyone can play a role in Culture Days: as an arts or cultural organization, community group, artist, municipality, library, school, citizen, or business person, you can participate in and contribute to the Culture Days movement!

See the impact of Culture Days after two years in the 2011 Report.

Call for Participation!

This is an open call for all individuals, groups and municipalities to join the movement and offer a free interactive arts or cultural activity in your community during Culture Days, September 28, 29 & 30, 2012.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved – whether you are a professional or amateur cultural creator (i.e. artist, artisan, educator, animateur, historian, curator, choreographer, architect, designer, etc…), municipality, library, group or organization in an urban, suburban or rural community; you can play a part in Culture Days!

There is no fee to register. If you have a free participatory or interactive arts or cultural activity to offer to the public during the Culture Days weekend, click the link below to register it today. 

For more information about Culture Days, visit www.culturedays.ca

The Mother of all Craft Shows is an artisan show featuring handcrafted bath and body products, jewellery, clothing, organice pet food/tea, pottery, etc. at the Old Corby Distillery on the picturesque Moira river and we would like to promote creative artisans from our community. Our show helps to benefit a local charity and this year it’s http://FixedFurLife.com.

Call to Vendors – Some spaces available – March 15 deadline*  The Mother of all Craft Shows is looking for unique artisans and crafters to showcase their wares at our 3rd annual show (a fundraising event to support “Fixed Fur Life”) taking place on May 6, 2012 at the River Inn, Corbyville. Table fees are $55.00.

The show will be well-advertised and just in time to find that special “Mother’s Day” gift! Please contact motherofallcraftshows@gmail.com for more information. Be sure to include 3 images of the items you intend to sell and 1 image of your display setup. Submission deadline: March 15, 2012.

The Belleville Downtown Business Improvement Area (BDIA), in partnership with the Belleville Art Association, Gallery OneTwentyOne, The Quinte Arts Council, The John M. Parrott Art Gallery, teachers and established area artists, is hosting the First Annual Juried Downtown Student Art Show/Event with prizes! 

The Call for Entry is open to all Quinte Area secondary school age students, and all media of visual arts as well as poetry, song, music and dance will be presented.  

This first year, courtesy of Mark Rashotte, (a major sponsor) the art show/event will be held at the Bohemian Penguin Banquet Hall. The opening reception takes place on Thursday, May 3, 7:30 – 10 p.m. There will be live performances by students throughout the evening. The art show will be open to the public at the Bohemian Penguin Banquet Hall until Saturday, May 5th. Then, the art work will be placed on display in storefront windows throughout downtown Belleville, creating an “art walk” that the public can enjoy, day or evening at their leisure. The art work will remain on display until the end of May.  

While this event could not take place without a host of volunteers contributing countless hours toward making it happen, it also requires the financial resources to cover the myriad expenditures that go into creating a successful event.

Three levels of sponsorship have been created to garner financial support from local businesses and organizations. In return for sponsorship, organizers will provide valuable public relations, branding and marketing exposure for our supporters by including their corporate logo’s in our promotional materials, which include signage, posters, display advertising, banner, and social media networking.

The Premier level of sponsorship is for a contribution of $500 and over in cash or ‘in kind’. It will have the highest profile in all promotional materials. Premier sponsors will be thanked publicly in the media, in interviews, and at the Opening Reception.

The second level is for those contributing $250. There are opportunities to assign the sponsorship to a special award, or specific aspect of the show, such as an award for the best use of colour. Sponsors at this level will have a publicized media profile with company logos included in all promotional materials, as well as recognition at the Opening Reception.

The third level of sponsorship is for contributions of $100. These sponsorships can be designated to student art awards or towards a specific art show activity.  Sponsors will be recognized at the Opening Reception and will be recognized in association with a particular award or activity.

This is the first year, and although organizers are starting small, we envision this art show/event growing into an “Arts Week” where the visual arts, literary arts, dramatic arts, music and dance, and poetry, will take over the downtown. It will become a major draw for creative people, young and old, to get together before an audience and showcase their talent here in the heart of their community, downtown Belleville.