PARRSBORO, N.S. – The Cumberland County Art Bank has a new home.
Originally launched by Parrsboro project facilitator Taylor Redmond under the Town of Parrsboro banner, the initiative had appeared lost in the shuffle of the town’s dissolution process, but is now back with the Municipality of Cumberland County and the direction of Parrsboro Creative.
“It’s the Cumberland Art Bank, so it’s inclusive of all the different places in Cumberland,” explained executive director Robert More. “Eventually it could be a really nice collection of stuff that’s Cumberland based. What a great opportunity for a Cumberland artist. Why knows? Maybe some young one might come out of the woodwork.”
The art bank program offers to purchase original works from Cumberland County artists through a jury selection process. The purchase agreement will allow the art bank to sell limited edition prints of the works, to keep the art bank self-sustaining.
Artists countywide are now being invited to submit their work for possible inclusion in the collection.
“This is a call to artists to say it’s alive and well, and it’s happening,” said More.
The deadline for submissions is March 15.
The program was started in 2016 with the initial purchase of A Starry Night in Parrsboro, an original oil on canvas by Joy Laking. After a pause during the dissolution process it was put back on track last summer with the creation of an advisory board. The program falls under the auspices of the municipality, but is administered and promoted by Parrsboro Creative, an organization dedicated to building an arts-friendly community in Parrsboro and area.
“The county felt that this project needed to be run by a not-for-profit arts organization which could provide both administration and promotion of the art bank,” he explained. “Parrsboro Creative was chosen as it has full-time staff and is already working to support artists in this region.”
The art bank will acquire and maintain a working collection of visual art by Cumberland County area artists and/or visual art reflecting and inspired by the Cumberland region of Nova Scotia. Initially the collection will be housed at the former town hall in Parrsboro, but will eventually travel to different locations in the county.
Submissions can be sent by email (please use “Art Bank Submissions” in the subject line) to Robert More at [email protected] by 9 p.m. on March 15, including three images of the work in jpeg format, along with sale prices, an artist bio, and an artist statement. More can also be contacted at the Parrsboro Creative office at 902-728-2007.
