the 6th edition Art Now Fine Art Fair comes to a close

The 6th annual Art Now Fine Art Fair came to a close on Sunday, September 26, 2021. For this edition, Art Now once again took place in a hybrid format, held primarily online and on location at participating gallery locations across Saskatchewan. There were over 650 pieces of original art for sale from 17 Saskatchewan exhibitors, showcasing a diverse line up of artists and artwork. 

The show began on September 16 with a virtual opening night reception, where attendees could chat live online with the gallerists, listen to curated playlists from SaskMusic as they browsed, and watch the first of five panel sessions, ‘One by One: Analysis of Selected Works’ to gain insight into a piece from each exhibiting gallery. Art Now welcomed 18,000+ visitors from across Canada to artnow.ca over the 10-day event online.

Then on September 24 and 25, the galleries welcomed art lovers safely into their physical spaces to view their Art Now booths in person and to take in many special events. Attendees were able to view artist demonstrations such as eco-dying at Hansen Ross House, a dreamcatcher workshop at On the Avenue Art Gallery, and live painting at Dervilia art + design, And Art Gallery, and Collector’s Choice Art Gallery. Artists were on site at several galleries to discuss their works and visit with guests. 

Throughout the ten days, Art Now produced an engaging line up of virtual programming including five panel sessions, curated by Jesse Campbell, curator and arts administrator. These sessions, along with twelve artist talks, were enjoyed by hundreds of virtual Art Now attendees, and included discussions: ‘One by One: Analysis of Selected Works’; ‘Show & Tell: Connecting with Art’; ‘Revisionist Landscape’; ‘Culture C(l)ash: Can Indigenous Artists Make a Living Without Selling Out?’; and ‘Art as Life: The Creative Process’. 

Hosted on Zoom, these sessions discussed the meaningful pieces that artists create, how collectors choose to display in their homes, discussions on how the Saskatchewan landscape is depicted differently, and how those artists can continue to market their artworks commercially without harming their culture. Artist talks were also presented virtually, with each artist speaking about their inspiration and practice differently. You can watch each of these sessions and artist talks on our YouTube channel anytime. 

SaskGalleries is grateful to bring the Art Now Fine Art Fair once again to a virtual and in-person audience, and thanks all the attendees, galleries, presenters, and organizers for making the event possible. SaskGalleries is also grateful to Creative Saskatchewan and all our sponsors, for making Art Now accessible to the public.

Be sure to mark your calendars for the 7th edition of Art Now, which returns in person to Saskatoon, September 22 to 25, 2022. And follow us on social media for updates. 

See you at the fair!