Pugwash Open Air Art Gallery
In 2019, three local artists: Louise Cloutier, Bonnie Bond and Norene Smiley, teamed up with Pugwash Communities in Bloom with the intention of growing the village’s cultural footprint. They introduced the pilot project ‘Pugwash Open Air Art Gallery’ to the Village Commission, local businesses and artists, and invited them to support and become part of the initiative.
The intention was to create physical exterior installations of art reproductions that would promote tourism in our village, attract more customers to local businesses, support local and north shore artists, while making art accessible to all!
Open Air Galleries have been piloted in a number of North American communities, including St. Lambert, Quebec. Reproductions of original art, printed on varying sizes of Alupanel*, are framed and affixed to exterior walls of business establishments. Streets come alive with colourful art while art enthusiasts, guided by printed materials, stroll the community’s streets, sampling local fare, in search of artwork locations.
The village of Pugwash is becoming a hub of activity! Beautification initiatives, new infrastructure and construction, in conjunction with the natural beauty of our harbour side village are attracting attention from near and far. Our cultural and musical events, the high school’s Jean Wallace Art Gallery, the Pugwash Harbour Centre, speak of the value that our community places on the arts.
With the Pugwash Open Air Art Gallery, our aim was to take it a step further with exterior walls in the village that were initially unworthy of a second glance, now reflecting the creative visions of its community artists!
By 2022, 16 images were installed throughout the village and Communities in Bloom and POAG partnered with Pugwash HarbourFest for Art in the Park, with art demos, guided tours and a new Peace Sculpture installation in Eaton Park.
