Artists were once again on full display in a back alley in Melfort on July 18 as the Eighth Annual Back Alley Tour took returned for another year.
The annual event takes place in the back alley behind Northern Lights Gallery, and the 2024 version showed that the event continues to grow and change.
Event organizer and Northern Lights Gallery owner Sandra Dancey said the goal is to get like-minded artists together to show off their work, and with artists from Prince Albert, Nipawin, Tisdale and Melfort and beyond in attendance, Dancey sees more growth in the future.
“It went really well,” Dancey said. “(We had) more artists than ever, (and a) really good turnout. It was very warm, but people have learned to adapt to that because that’s how it is in July.”
Dancey said there are many talented artists in the region, and this event is a great way to promote them.
“It’s nice to showcase them in the way that we do in the back alley,” she said. “They can do workshops and it’s very casual and relaxed. They enjoy it and it’s fun for everyone.”
The Northeast SPCA supplied food for the day and the nearby Melfort Legion provided meals as well.
The number of new artists is also increasing every year for the event.
“There were more artists than ever,” Dancey said. “That’s the nice thing about it. There are so many talented artists in the neighborhood. While there is always overlap of repeat artists who were here the year before or two years, there’s always new people in the neighborhood and it makes it interesting for everybody.”
An artist shows their wares during the Back Alley Tour in Melfort on July 18.
Attendees watch while a potter works during the Back Alley Tour in in Melfort on July 18.
Artists from Prince Albert, Melfort, Nipawin, Tisdale, and beyond were all in attendance
showcasing their skills for the public.
There is always entertainment and this year there was an entertainment stage. Dancey said they had live music all afternoon and into the evening, which is also really popular.
Prairie North Co-Op sponsored the $500 Back Alley Tour Scholarship to a student from MUCC, which was presented to Aliyah Taylor. Taylor also works at the Melfort and District Museum as a summer student.
Dancey said that all of the artists were outstanding and she could not pick just one who stood out.
“There are so many young upcoming artists,” she said.
The project originally began as part of Main Street Melfort as a revitalization project. The Main Street Melfort program was suspended in 2017 and Main Street Melfort folded as a downtown revitalization organization.
Dancey thanked the supporters of the event.
“I always appreciate the support we get from all of our sponsors to help make this happen because we don’t charge artists to participate. That’s the other thing with this is it’s free to be part of. It’s meant to promote the creativity and artistic nature of so many people in the neighborhood, so we appreciate that we have sponsors to help us out,” she said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
