Be one of the first of 9,000+ guests to lay eyes on hundreds of original works of fine art before the show opens to the public! The 2022 show kicks off with an exciting Purchasers' Preview event on Thursday, July 21, 7-10pm - an exclusive, ticketed event that allows early access to the 2022 artworks. […]
Artists, sponsors, and dignitaries gather in celebration of the 2022 award-winning pieces chosen by this year's jurors. The event is by invitation only.
About the 2021 SFAS Street Signs Project for Youth
The 2022 Sooke Fine Arts Society Annual General Meeting will include reports from the President and Executive Director about the year's show. Current SFAS members will also be able to vote to elect new board positions. Location tbd. When: Oct 20, 2022 Join the Society - Become a Member! Become a Sooke Fine Arts Society […]
Stay Tuned!
The Digital Catalogue of the 2022 Sooke Fine Arts Show will be available to view at 12:00pm on Friday, July 22, 2022. Please come back then!
Yes! The accepted artworks will be exhibited live at the SEAPARC Leisure Centre in Sooke and
simultaneously displayed in a simple online gallery, accessible via the SFAS website. The pieces will be
viewable online after Purchasers’ Preview night, and all art sales will be handled via the sales desk at
the show (in person or by phone).
Yes!
There is $15 submission fee per piece, and $40 exhibition fee per accepted piece.
The commission is 30% on all art sales.
Yes, please contact the SFAS Office to arrange a visit: 250-642-7256 / [email protected]
As long as the piece was completed within 18 months of the start of the current show, and has not been shown in any other major, juried shows on BC’s Coastal Islands, it can be submitted. Since our jury panel changes each year, a piece not accepted one year may very well be selected the following year.
Yes, the jurors can magnify the images to see fine detail and texture. This is why we ask images be a minimum of 1500 pixels to preserve details in your work.
The minimum price for artwork is $350. Like any Gallery, there are fees and commissions associated with the show and sale of artwork. Artists are asked to consider the following when setting their price:
All work submitted for adjudication must be available for sale.
No. Work submitted for adjudication must be completed. We recommend finishing your piece before the Call to Artists ends.
You can make changes to your submission before the deadline. No changes will be accepted after the close of submissions on May 24, 2022.
No, a Certificate of Authenticity (especially for limited editions) is not required at the submission stage, but one will be expected if your piece is accepted into the show. A C-of-A will be required to accompany your piece when delivered to the show.
The stipulation that artwork must be completed in the last 18 months, and not have been shown locally in another major, juried art show on BC’s Coastal Islands is designed to keep our show fresh, with works that have not been seen at other shows in our region, and to encourage artists to share new work.
The more we can present a diverse, unique show, the more we help promote the joy of art in our region.
The requirement specifies the combination of all three elements – major/juried/in BC’s Coastal Islands – for a piece to be ineligible to be shown in the Sooke Fine Arts Show.
Check out our resource page on Photographing Artwork for tips and tricks on getting a clear, representative image of your artwork. If the piece has darker tones, try a lighter backdrop, and vice versa.
Past Sooke Fine Arts Show jurors have recommended placing something next to your piece to offer the viewer a better sense of the scale of your work. In your optional 25-word description, mention the extra object is for scale only.
There is no way to know in advance which pieces, or even which kinds of pieces, will be accepted. We receive a wide range of submissions in all categories, and each year an independent panel of three new jurors are invited to review all the submissions to select the pieces that will appear in the show. Due to space limitations, we can only accept approximately 375-380 pieces into the show. Because the jurors change from year to year, there is truly no way to know which pieces they will select.
Jurors are not able to provide feedback on why pieces were not accepted. There are simply too many pieces and jurying is done separately. However it is important to keep in mind that pieces not accepted one year can still be accepted a subsequent year, as long as they were completed within 18 months of the subsequent show.
Exhibiting artists are not required to attend the show. Works accepted for the show and any additional artwork for the Gallery Gift Shop may be couriered to arrive July 7 & 8, or delivered/picked up by a friend. If a friend will be picking up your piece for you, we ask that you advise the SFAS Office of their name. Please refer to the Exhibiting Artist Guidelines for more information.
Artists can arrange to have a friend deliver their work, or have it couriered to the arena (for arrival July 7 or 8), and can sometimes arrange delivery with other artists of accepted works. The SFAS Office can help determine if there are other artists in your area who might be willing to share transportation down to Sooke.
No, you do not need to include tax in your price, as taxes are added on at the time of sale.
All submission and exhibition fees include applicable taxes. Applicable taxes on artwork sold at the Sooke Fine Arts Show are added to the price set by the artist; the Sooke Fine Arts Society collects and remits these taxes on behalf of the artist. Taxes do not affect the commission.
The People’s Choice and Children’s Choice Awards are both tallied from survey results collected during the show, with winners announced after the show.
Understandably, some patrons may choose to contact artists directly, and while this may seem like an opportunity to provide work at a lower price, we ask that artists encourage patrons to complete their purchases through the show.
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is a not-for-profit entity, and art sales are a very important part of how we offset the costs of marketing, venue rental, and gallery infrastructure in order to continue nurturing the careers of the region’s fine artists.
If your work sells, someone from the Art Sales desk will call you immediately with the good news. If your gift shop items sell out or need to be replenished, you will be informed by someone from the Gift Shop team. Artists can also contact the Sooke Fine Arts office at 250-642-7256, or by email [email protected].
Space is limited for the premium ads – please contact to book:
The 2020 game has closed. Please check back in July, 2021 for a whole new game!
Visit us July 23 through August 2, 2021 to view a whole new collection of world class Island art. For a sneak peek on July 22, buy Purchasers’ Preview tickets – click here.
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Ticket Sales Open May 31!
The 2021 Show is free to view, but it kicks off with an exciting one-night only virtual Purchasers’ Preview event on Thursday, July 22, 7-10pm – which is an exclusive access event that allows the keenest of art lovers an advance preview of the 2021 artworks. Tickets for this one-night event are just $25, and can be purchased here on our website, as of May 31, 2021. Please come back then!
The Call for Submissions closed at midnight on May 25, 2021. The list of accepted artists will be posted on this website on June 11. Thanks to all artists who submitted!
Le SFAS supporte les droits des artistes et requiert que toutes les soumissions proviennent de créations originales de l’artiste. Il est de la responsabilité de l’artiste de se familiariser avec les lois de droits d’auteur et ainsi s’assurer de ne pas enfreindre les droits des autres artistes.
Le droit d’auteur accorde certains droits exclusifs quant aux œuvres originales, à leur reproduction, ou la revente. Les droits d’auteur s’appliquent automatiquement quand une œuvre d’art est produite, ou prend forme physique.
Il est recommandé aux artistes de s’assurer que la production de leur art n’enfreigne d’aucune façon les limitations stipulées par les droits d’auteur.
Voir les liens ci-dessous pour plus d’information.
Les artistes sont encouragés à présenter des pièces qui représentent leur propre style et leur vision personnelle. Si une création s’inspire d’une œuvre d’un autre artiste ou utilise en partie l’œuvre d’un autre artiste, cela peut constituer une infraction au droit d’auteur, c’est pourquoi nous décourageons de telles soumissions. L’éligibilité est à la discrétion des juges et du comité du SFAS.
Il est important de prendre note de la politique de la Fédération des Artistes Canadiens en regard de l’utilisation de photographies comme support de référence.
La Fédération dicte:
« L’utilisation de photos de référence pour la création de peintures est depuis longtemps acceptée, cependant l’utilisation de photos prisent par un photographe professionnel n’est pas permise, même avec la permission de ce dernier car les photos prisent par des professionnels sont considérées œuvres d’art en elles-mêmes. Les photos de référence doivent avoir été prises par l’artiste même ou fournies par un photographe amateur avec son consentement »
– FCA Policy, section 7.1.5
Liens Utiles:
Le SFAS se réserve le droit de retirer toute œuvre qui ne respecte pas les lois de droit d’auteur ou les standards de l’exposition. Si vous demeurez incertain face à l’éligibilité d’une œuvre, nous vous suggérons d’envoyer un courriel à [email protected] le plus tôt possible pour approbation.
The Call for Submissions will open the morning of March 17, 2021. Please check back here then!
A list of the 2021 Exhibiting Artists will be available here on June 11, 2021. Please check back here then!
Copyright law gives artists certain exclusive rights to their own original work, and the reproduction or resale of that work. Copyright arises automatically when an artistic work is fixed in a material form.
It is advised that all artists ensure that their work does not breach any copyright. See the links below for further reading.
Artists are encouraged to submit artworks that reflect their own original, personal vision and style. If an artwork is recognizably based on the work of another artist, or uses a part of another artist’s artwork as a creative base, it may be subject to copyright infringement. Such works are discouraged for submission to a juried art show and sale. Eligibility of any artwork is up to the discretion of the jurors and the SFAS adjudication committee.
It is important to note that there have been recent policy changes within the Federation of Canadian Artists with regards to using photographs as reference. SFAS supports the following statement:
“While using photos as reference for painting is a long held accepted practice, making substantive use of stock imagery or photos taken by professional photographers is not permissible, even with their permission. Photographs by professional photographers are considered artworks in and of themselves. Reference photos must be taken by the artist themselves or provided to them by an amateur photographer with their express consent. Stock images may only be referred to for anatomical study and must be incidental to the completed artwork to be permissible.”
– FCA Policy, section 7.1.5
Useful Links:
The Sooke Fine Arts Society retains the right to remove any artwork from adjudication that may contravene copyright laws or show standards.
If you are still unsure whether or not your work would be eligible, you can email the SFAS office at [email protected], however we ask that you please do so well in advance of the submission deadline (midnight, May 25, 2021).
The 2021 guidelines will be released soon. Please check back again.
The show was a spectacular success, and under the admirable coordination of Elida Peers, the sponsorship of the Sooke Region Museum, the Sooke Region Historical Society, and teams of hard-working volunteers, it flourished and grew each year. In 2006, coordination of the show moved from the hands of the Sooke Region Museum and into the newly-formed Sooke Fine Arts Society.
That first show displayed 200 pieces from 49 artists in SEAPARC’s ice arena and eventually grew to fill the entire 16,000 square foot space, transforming it into the world-class exhibition that you see today. Today, the show features on average 375 pieces from approximately 260 artists from all over Vancouver Island and BC’s coastal islands, with prizes totaling over $12,000. It is now so much more than a gallery, housing a stage with live music and youth performances, artist demonstrations, a large gift shop, and a separate youth art gallery, expanding the exhibition beyond the main arena.
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is grateful for the efforts of all the previous organizers, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and friends that have made the show the success that it is today.
The Sooke Fine Arts Show has closed for the season. Visit us next year from July 23 through August 2, 2021 to view a whole new collection of world class Island art.
Mona Brooks
Virginia Cobb
Shawn McNiff
Maxine Masterfield
Heather Spears
The 2020 Virtual Sooke Fine Show includes 373 pieces of unique island art for purchase online, along with a youth art gallery, live events, links to artist demonstrations & live talks, music links, activity pages for kids, an online auction – i.e; most of the usual elements of the physical Sooke Fine Arts Show, in a virtual format. The live events, auction, and People’s Choice voting system close when the show closes August 3, 2020. However, the art will be available for sale on the website until September 30 to provide added exposure for the artists in this difficult year. All other static elements – the recorded demonstrations & talks, music, the youth art gallery, kids pages will also remain online until we begin preparations for next year’s show – our 35th anniversary – when we mount an entirely new, exciting display of world-class island art.
Purchasers with special access can browse the site from 7pm onward on July 23. Access to the site continues until the show opens to the public at 9:00am on July 24th, but the office closes at 10pm on Thursday, so representatives will no longer be available to assist after that time. Access pass holders can continue to browse and purchase items after hours. If an item is purchased, a representative will get back to the purchaser in the following days. Please Note: Holds are not permitted during the Purchasers’ Preview event.
When you purchase an item and complete the checkout process, you will receive notification that the order is being processed. As soon as you receive this notification, the artwork is yours – congratulations! At that point the item will be marked online as Sold. An SFAS representative will get back to you to coordinate delivery of the item. Please do not be concerned if you do not hear from a representative right away – they are likely dealing with other purchases, and will get to yours in due course. Thank you for your patience.
Holds are accepted during the show period (except during Purchasers’ Preview) but are limited to one hold per person at a time for a length of four hours during show times. Credit card information will be required as a guarantee to hold the art piece. To put an item on hold, please contact the office office via the chat icon below or phone 250-642-7256. Wait lists will be established for pieces designated as on hold.
Shipping will be handled after each sale, on a case-by-case basis. A number of shipping and delivery options will be discussed, depending on the addresses of both the purchaser and artist, and the availability of the artist to deliver or receive visitors at their studio/home. Once a sale has been processed, a representative will contact you to manage the arrangements.
Click here to view our Sales Policy.
Most of the images of the artwork on this site are have reduced resolution in order to provide image security for the artist’s work. If an image appears less crisp, it should not be taken as a true representation of the artwork. Please feel free to contact us if more information is required.
There are several ways to reach us if you have a question:
Chat – click on the chat icon bottom, right corner of any of our webpages
Email – [email protected]
Phone – 250-642-7256
Sooke Fine Arts office representatives will be available to assist during the following hours:
July 23 (Purchasers’ Preview event): 7-10pm
During the Show (July 24 – August 3): 10am – 5pm (Mon-Sun)
After the Show (August 4 – Sept 30): 10am – 5pm (Mon-Fri)
Any sales or queries outside those hours will be dealt with the next business day.
The 2020 Award-winners will be announced on July 25th at 2pm at the Artist Celebration live-streamed event. See event info.
You can vote for your favourite piece!
Click on the Vote tab to cast your vote within the detail page for a particular piece..
The piece with the most votes by the end of the show (August 3 @ 5pm) will be awarded this year’s People’s Choice Award.
The winner will be announced after August 7.
Thanks for voting!
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Keep mouse off-screen to play, hover over to pause, click to view an artwork
SFAS supports the rights of artists and requires that all submitted artwork be the original creation of the submitting artist. It is incumbent on all artists to familiarize themselves with copyright laws and the concepts of derivative and transformative art to ensure that they are not infringing on another artist’s rights.
Copyright law gives artists certain exclusive rights to their own original work, and the reproduction or resale of that work. Copyright arises automatically when an artistic work is fixed in a material form.
It is advised that all artists ensure that their work does not breach any copyright. See the links below for further reading.
It is important to note that there have been recent policy changes within the Federation of Canadian Artists with regards to using photographs as reference. SFAS supports the following statement:
“While using photos as reference for painting is a long held accepted practice, making substantive use of stock imagery or photos taken by professional photographers is not permissible, even with their permission. Photographs by professional photographers are considered artworks in and of themselves. Reference photos must be taken by the artist themselves or provided to them by an amateur photographer with their express consent. Stock images may only be referred to for anatomical study and must be incidental to the completed artwork to be permissible.”
– FCA Policy, section 7.1.5
There are some cases in which art that has been derived from another’s work can be considered “transformative” – demonstrating a significant creative departure from the original (i.e: new expression, meaning or message), and creating an altogether new work of art. The nature of transformative work is very subjective, and eligibility is up to the discretion of the jurors and the SFAS adjudication committee.
Useful Links:
The Sooke Fine Arts Society retains the right to remove any artwork from adjudication that may contravene copyright laws or show standards.
If you are still unsure whether or not your work would be eligible, you can email the SFAS office at [email protected], however we ask that you please do so well in advance of the submission deadline (midnight, June 1, 2020).
