The 25th Annual Thanksgiving Studio Tour

Carol Fergusson

Executive Director

Gabriola Arts Council

In our last press release we stated that vaccine passports were going to be required to visit studios on the Studio Tour because Island Health had told us this to be true. Now, this is not the case. The Provincial Health Order and further regulations that have come forward stating if there are less than 50 people in the space, no vaccine passports required for retail and galleries. Seeing as how most studios only hold a handful of people, artists will not be required to ask for vaccine passports, but masks are required. Some will still will ask for proof of vaccination for their own reasons. Others are breathing a sigh of relieve because they do not have help and this would have been a very challenging ordeal.

Tour Central (masks required), which holds a lot more people, will be counting and keeping our numbers under 50, at any one time during the day, and starting a line up outside for one out one in, we will have a tent outside for cover. This will work well for the daytime hours (10-5pm). For the evenings when we have the Fresh Notes: Gabriola Youth in Concert (6:30-9:30pm music at 7pm), the Executive Director will work the door and check vaccine passports to take the pressure off our lovely volunteers, so we can have more than 50 enjoying the gallery and the music. It is not a perfect set up, but the best solution we could muster based on the rules and how the space needs to function. So we really hope more than 50 people will come out each evening to make this a worthy effort and to give our youth (29 and under) musicians (who are great!) an awesome crowd. More details to follow….

On that note, we are seeking volunteers for Tour Central. We have quite a few already, but we still need more. The dates are October 7-11 and the time slots are 9:30-1:30pm, 1:30-5:30pm and 6:00-10:00pm. You do not have to check vaccine passports!

The jobs include being a docent (answer questions, giving directions, becoming familiar with the art, direct people), selling 50/50 and raffle tickets, working the beverage bar (coffee/tea/water) during the day and we’re still looking for one person with Serving It Right to handle the adult beverages in the evening.

Regardless of any of the above, the artists have been working hard in preparation for Tour and we know it is going to be amazing. Everyone pray for no sky tears, as many are setting up outside and Tour is always more fun when it is dry.

Any questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to contact Carol Fergusson, Executive Director p: 250-247-7409 or e:carol@artsgabriola.ca or stop by the cabin, but don’t forget your mask.

Originally published September 22, 2021