The Spirit of Manitou tour is coming back to Meacham, Watrous and Manitou Beach with this year’s 11th annual event taking place July 7 and 8.
Nineteen Saskatchewan artists will be stops on the self-guided two-day tour through rural Saskatchewan. Some stops, including the Little Manitou Art Gallery in Manitou Beach and Have Wave Gallery in Meecham also carries work from multiple artists from across the province.
Sarah McKen, artist and owner of the Little Manitou Art Gallery says the spirit of camaraderie between the trail artists is the reason she moved to the Watrous/Manitou Beach area.
“It’s a group that has longtime members and new members and everyone jumped in to contribute.”
Keeping the trail going for the past 11 years is a testament to that Saskatchewan rural art scene. They are used to pulling together, says McKen, and one tour being finished just means they are on to planning the next one.
“Art is different than most industries because we don’t have to worry about competition. Each of our work is individual so if we can work side by side, it’s a three way win; the artists and the public.”
For some artists, this is the only way to open up their space for public viewing since they work within the privacy of their own studios.
“This is when they open their doors and invite people to come in and really see where the action happens. It’s a special opportunity for a lot of people.”
This year’s Spirit of Manitou is also a special opportunity for Josephine Kabibi Tambwe, a recent refugee sponsored by the Watrous Manitou community. The trail is opening up her work to the public at the Anglican Church in Watrous
Support for the tour has always been strong from both the local organizations and visitors to the trail, says McKen, with the trail being well supported.
During the 10th annual tour, McKen says she had well over 300 people stop by her location in Manitou Beach over the two days of the tour. Since Manitou Beach is a popular international destination, people from all over the world have walked into her gallery, including some from Japan and Great Britain, she says.
“It’s a unique opportunity when people are in Manitou for their holiday and the trail is here. It brings people out to our larger community.”
Studios and stops are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 7 and noon to 6 p.m. on July 8.
