It Started With a Simple Idea...
Old Strathcona is the perfect neighbourhood for such an undertaking. Old Strathcona is established, rich in culture and history. It’s where artists should be seen. This is exactly the idea that started it all. Tim Nolt, an active member in the Old Strathcona Foundation, once commented that Whyte Avenue would look lovely with artists painting out on the sidewalks like they did on the Left Bank in Paris. “Perhaps we should start a festival,” he said, “We could call it the “Left Bank of Edmonton”.
The Little Idea That Sprung to Action
David Bradley, then owner of The Paint Spot immediately agreed to help find a few artists. “David and Tim’s excitement was contagious,” recalls Kim Fjordbotten, who was the art store manager back then. “Everyone phoned artists and talked to neighbouring businesses.
“We pulled off the first event in just three weeks but with little time to promote it – the public didn’t know what was going on. I was out at 8:30 am that very first morning, setting up my little painting station, which consisted of a TV table, an easel and four art works displayed on the ground.” recalls Kim, “I remember an older lady, walking by with her grocery cart full of goods from the farmers’ market. ‘Just look at these poor artists having to sell art in the streets,’ she muttered to her companion. However, when I told her what the Art Walk was all about, her eyes lit up and she agreed it was a wonderful idea! She gave me a quick hug and a wink, and set off to search for more artists to meet.”
That was back in 1995, at the advent of its history. It started with 35 artists and a few pedestrians. Today there are about 400 artists and more than 65,000 visitors. It is not a typical event. It is a rare and precarious balance between the needs of the artists, the generosity of the merchants, who give up their storefronts, and the public who fill the streets.
It's All About Community Spirit
“This is what community spirit is all about!” says Kim Fjordbotten. The festival was a labour of love for the owner of The Paint Spot. She has administered and supported the event since the beginning in 1995 and until 2021. They worked in partnership with the Old Strathcona Foundation and Old Strathcona Business Association to share promotion. The bulk of the administrative and volunteer work landed on Fjordbotten’s coworkers, on company time, and with the The Paint Spot’s resources. “It is amazing what can be accomplished with a handful of dedicated people. We do it to promote the artists while keeping it as simple and affordable as possible.”
The idea may be simple but as history shows, the event has grown! There is a reason we say “running” a festival. With 17 blocks and two parks full of artists, we do a lot of running.
Getting Art Out of Basements and Onto the Streets
Kim believes these events are successful because they focus on the important interaction between art maker and art viewer. “There are so many ways to make art and so much talent in Alberta. I can’t imagine how many artworks are hidden in studios, basements, and closets.” She continues, “Without events like the Whyte Avenue Art Walk, perhaps no one would get to see them.
“It is rewarding to convince a hesitant artist to share their art. I tell artists to make what they love and there will be someone out there who ‘gets it’. It’s also good for artists to have an annual deadline to create new artwork and to finish projects. Too often ideas stay in our heads until a deadline trumps procrastination. Sometimes an artist misses a year due to time constraints and family commitments, but they seem more motivated the following year and often come out with all new work.”
COVID-19 Changed Everything
2020 was the first year of the pandemic and we couldn’t responsibly or legally run our outdoor festival, so we pivoted and paired roughly 20 artists with very generous Whyte Avenue business owners who were willing to share some of their window display space with us.
It was also the 25th anniversary of Art Walk and Fjordbotten had big plans to celebrate the Art Walk community. It was supposed to be the last year that The Paint Spot fully produced the festival before beginning to transition production to Activate Arts Alberta.
Activate Arts Alberta Assumes Production
2021 ushered in the point in the history of Whyte Avenue Art Walk when it was time for The Paint Spot to begin the transition of letting go of producing the festival. Many discussions ensued between Activate Arts Alberta (formerly Ice On Whyte Festival Society) producer Jill Roszell and Fjordbotten.
Art Walk fit well with the society’s mandate says Roszell: “To encourage the appreciation of art and culture so visitors can experience interactive, outdoor creativity.” Activate Arts had no plans to alter the premise of Art Walk. It will always be the big, colourful, fabulous visual art extravaganza it has been. It will always focus on supporting and promoting local visual artists and inspiring the public to engage with artists and explore tastes.
COVID-19 was still playing games with the world and we couldn’t have an outdoor festival because we had no way of controlling crowd sizes. We were allowed to host an indoor market with COVID precautions, so like everyone and everything else we pivoted again. Art Walk ran for seven weekends over the course of the summer and we hosted 30-50 artists each weekend from Friday through to Sunday. Our aim was to give as many of our artists the potential to pull their art out of basements, engage with each other, and our community. We rented space in the Army Navy building at the corner of Whyte Ave. and 104 St. It was the first and only time there has been a small charge to visit Art Walk.
By 2022 The Paint Spot cut the apron strings and Activate Arts Alberta was on its own! We were able to emerge joyously back onto the avenue, and into parks and bus lanes of Old Strathcona, and artists were there for it! It was wonderful to be back on the Ave. and 330 artists participated. By the summers of 2023 and 2024 we were back up 400 artists stretched along the Avenue and in parks.
