Westman Youth for Christ is calling out to all artists across the province to join them at their 3rd Annual Art Exhibition and Sale coming up in mid-May.
The annual show is held each spring at the Firehall Event Venue in downtown Brandon, to raise funds for the Westman YFC Journeys Arts Program.
"Money raised will go towards our Creative Journey programming"
Creative Program Director, Dawn Redlin, says this year's theme is 'Inspired by Nature: From Natural to Abstraction' and she welcome everyone who'd like to support the Westman YFC youth program to submit up to 3 art pieces.
"So, we're looking for artists who are wanting to participate and of course the art pieces have to follow the theme, Inspired by Nature," explains Redlin. "They can be realistic, or they can be abstract. It could be anything from pottery to painting to sketching to something that's even outside of those kinds of mediums!"
Redlin says they're very excited to be hosting this annual event, the main fundraiser for their youth art program.
"Money raised will go towards our Creative Journey programming," she shares. "We run art programs here at Youth for Christ that are art focused. We have Creative Cafe on Monday afternoons where we have snacks and spend time together as a community with the youth who attend, and we do a specific art project each week."
Tuesday evenings the Westman YFC facilitate a larger event for participating young people.
"For this program, CREATE, we provide a full meal for the youth who attend and then they are allowed to go through all of our art cabinets and choose whatever they wish to create with," shares Redlin. "And then we also have a therapeutic art program that I run as well."
"So, we just create a safe space for them to come, a positive community for them to be a part of, some food, and of course the opportunity to explore creativity"
Using the gentleness and thoughtfulness of art helps young people deal with some of the tough things they might be facing in their world of young adulthood. Doing art is therapy all by itself in so many ways.
"I often have comments, 'Oh I just needed this today,' or 'Wow, I didn't know that I would feel so much better after doing this tonight' or 'It's just so good to come and hang out with other people and be creative'," says Redlin. "All those kinds of comments that come from the youth who participate. A lot of the youth that we work with are marginalized youth. They may have experienced some trauma and have some experiences on the streets both in the city and maybe even outside the city."
"So, we just create a safe space for them to come, a positive community for them to be a part of, some food, and of course the opportunity to explore creativity," she adds.
The 3rd Annual Art Exhibition and Sale will be held on May 22-23, from 6:30 pm- 9pm at the Firehall Event Venue on Princess Avenue. Please see both posters below for more details and contact information.
Tickets are $25 each and includes an evening food plate and beverage.
For more information on the Westman Youth for Christ arts program visit their website HERE!