Whyte Avenue Art Walk is an annual outdoor studio and gallery that has a history spanning three decades.

The Whyte Avenue Art Walk features hundreds of working artists. For three days every July, artists and their art fill the sidewalks of Old Strathcona. It’s an original experience that artists love. Artists are encouraged to bring their supplies and their ideas and make art right on site, providing an exciting opportunity for visitors to become engaged in many creative processes.

A unique aspect of this festival is that it’s not juried and there are very few guidelines. Artists are asked to create art on site and exhibit their own original art. Due to overwhelming artist participation, the Art Walk chose to distinguish among mediums rather than to jury the event. This allows for organic growth and diversity. Every year the art gets stronger and more diverse. Where else can you wander among glorious florals, graffiti-style slogans, delicate etchings, mosaic butterflies, and renaissance-style portraits?

For artists of all levels, the Whyte Avenue Art Walk offers a welcoming environment. For emerging artists, the Art Walk is a learning experience. It provides valuable feedback, an opportunity to build contact lists and raise profiles. Art Walk showcases many professional artists and university or college graduates. It offers everyone the chance to meet and exchange ideas together. In fact, history has shown that engagement amongst artists is a genuine perk that artists look forward to.

Nurturing new art patrons is a vitally important aspect of the Art Walk. When there are thousands of art works on display, pedestrians are exposed to a rare feast of diverse artistic ventures. If they are curious about what they see, they can strike up a conversation with the artists themselves. If they love what they see, Art Walk provides a more personal way of buying art, directly from the artist. Many people have purchased their first piece of original art at the Art Walk and return each year to build their collection. “I feel we are also doing important work creating new patrons for art in Edmonton,” says The Paint Spot’s Kim Fjordbotten, which produced the festival for its first 25 years, “I know that once an individual acquires an original piece of art they will continue to collect art throughout their lives.”