Orangeville Art Group hosting 52nd Annual Art Show and Sale

Show will take place from September 4 to 15 in the Pond Gallery at Alton Mill Arts Centre

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A local art group is hosting the next edition of its long-running annual art show next month. 

From September 4 to 15 in the Pond Gallery at the Alton Mill Arts Centre, the Orangeville Art Group (OAG) will host its 52nd Annual Art Show and Sale.

The show will be viewable during the Alton Mill Arts Centre's open hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Admission to the show is free, as is parking. The Alton Mill Arts Centre is a fully-accessible facility.

A special reception for the show will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on September 15 where guests will have a chance to meet the artists participating in the show, enjoy refreshments, and purchase artwork.

Genni Selby, coordinator for the OAG's current show, has been involved with the group since 2016. She said the OAG is especially excited to be bringing its show back after a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The OAG was founded by a group of nine women in 1955 in the basement of Westminster United Church in Orangeville. The OAG's first show was also held that year at St. Mark's Anglican Church. 

“The original nine women were very close friends who had a shared vision… they knew exactly what they wanted to achieve and what they wanted to bring and they worked and acted with the highest degree of integrity imaginable,” said Selby.

In 1969, the OAG started its annual art show and sale. The group has had a longstanding mission to provide opportunities for local artists and promote art education, art appreciation, and inter-group collaboration.

Selby said the mission has been a guiding light for the OAG throughout the years; that it's a remarkable vision. 

This year's OAG art show and sale will feature 13 exhibitors. A few of the exhibitors in the show have been members of the OAG for over 40 years.

The OAG is a group with a rich history — and it's one that's looking forward to the future as well. The OAG is always looking for new members and planning ahead for the future of art in Orangeville and the surrounding areas.

“Over the years, the OAG has been so connected to the community… it's important to remember how dedicated OAG artists have been to bringing the community awareness about art,” said Selby.