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<p class=""><span class="">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12th, 2015 - Kelowna, BC.</span></p><p class=""><span class=""><br></span></p><p class=""><span class="">Only 2 weeks left to see the Art in Empty Spaces exhibitions in Rutland </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">Since April, Rutland has been the home to a project called Art in Empty Spaces. It consists of a rotating group of exhibitions featuring art in unexpected spots.</span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">Modeled after similar projects in places like Portland, Oregon, Art in Empty Spaces is a collaborative project between the Uptown Rutland Business Association and the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan. It activates unused storefront spaces by turning them into temporary gallery exhibitions.</span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">Since beginning in three locations in April, including the Willow Park Shopping Centre, Rutland Plaza and the 2nd floor of the Valley First building, the Art in Empty Spaces program has offered 13 exhibitions and showcased the work of 18 local artists, including: </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">Cyndee Bannister, Mark Beaulieau, Shannon Breadner, Jason Chan, Sea Dean, Daniel Dearborn, Colleen Dyson, Elsie Fellows, Cherie Hanson,Caley Krantz, Tina Knooihuizen, Maureen Lejbak, Sheldon Louis, Jolene Mackie, Gillian Rau, Marcela Valania and Bobby Vandenhoorn. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">For this project, each artist involved was asked to reflect on the heritage of Rutland and feature what makes Rutland unique and beautiful to them.</span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">Artist Cherie Hanson, was particularly taken with the St. Aidan's Anglican Church located at 365 Rutland Road North. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">“My association with the church was established when I taught acting at Rutland Junior Secondary. My students wrote and performed versions </span><span class=""> </span><span class="">of fairy tales that they made their own. The light coming through the windows, of what was at that time a day care centre, was magical for the sharing of joy between teenagers and young children”, she ruminates. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">For the Uptown Rutland Business Association, bringing art up and into Rutland has excited the local business community to look for further opportunities to engage with art. In fact, Nick Aubin of Aubin & Associates - Notaries Public’s office is already keen to become a permanent venue for ARTSCO’s longstanding Artscape program. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">“We’re very pleased on the uptake on this project in the business community in Rutland”, says ARTSCO’s Executive Director Katie Brennan. “For me this is just the beginning of where I’d like to see art placed in the community”. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">The Art in Empty Spaces program runs until November 25th, when all the work is put up for auction for placement in local businesses, homes and offices. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">To catch these community exhibitions, stop by any of these locations before November 25th: </span></p><p class=""><span class=""> - Mark Beaulieau, Maureen Lejbak and Colleen Dyson - Amir Market </span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Shannon Breadner - Raz D Salon</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Marcela Valania - Benson Law LLP</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Daniel Dearborn - Norm Letnick, MLA office</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Elsie Fellows, Cherie Hanson, Jolene Mackie - Uptown Rutland Business Association</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Caley Krantz, Bobby Vandenhoorn & Jolene Mackie at Aubin & Associates - Notaries Public</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Bobby Vandenhoorn also at Forsythe Chiropractic</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Sea Dean and Cyndee Bannister - Rutland Plaza</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Jason Chan at the Okanagan Regional Library - Rutland Branch</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Tina Knooihuizen, Shannon Breadner and Sheldon Pierre Louis - Valley First Credit Union</span></p><p class=""><span class="">- Gillian Rau - Aphrodite In Me Spa</span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">
</span></p><p class=""><span class="">For more information on the work of these artists, photos and more, visit the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan’s website, <a href="http://artsco.ca"><span class="">artsco.ca</span></a> </span></p><div>- 30 - </div><div><br></div><div>media contact Katie Brennan 250-861-4123 / <a href="mailto:director@artsco.ca">director@artsco.ca</a> </div><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div style="font-size:12.8px">Arts Council of the Central Okanagan</div><div style="font-size:12.8px">250-861-4123 // <a href="mailto:heythere@artsco.ca" target="_blank">heythere@artsco.ca </a> // <a href="http://artsco.ca/" target="_blank">artsco.ca </a></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><b style="font-size:12.8px">Located in the Rotary Centre for the Arts at 421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna</b><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><img src="http://www.artsco.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ARTSCO-2009-Logo-208x300.jpg" width="66" height="96"></div><div><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"></div></div></div></div>
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