Guelph Arts Council Announces Winner of $5000 Pay It Forward Arts Fund
Guelph, ON – August 8, 2022 – Guelph Arts Council (GAC) awarded this year’s Pay It Forward Arts Fund to the Re: Project, grounded in reconnecting, releasing, reanimating, and rejoicing through guided experiences. Youth from an organization that supports young people in Guelph, will explore their creativity, learn new skills, and connect with the community, while deepening their relationship with the environment. The Re: Project also supports local businesses, providing opportunities to share their skills and resources.
Pay It Forward Arts Fund is the gift of artist Barbara Salsberg Mathews and her husband Bruce Mathews. The award encourages artists to rise to the challenge and pay it forward by using their talents to benefit the Guelph community. This is the first year of four for the $5000 annual fund.
“We’re excited about the potential of the Re: Project to draw upon local artists and businesses to help youth in need. This is a great way to pay it forward.” – Barbara Salsberg Mathews
Local emerging artists, Maeve Hind and Alexa Collette are co-founders of Outlet, dedicated to fostering mindful art-making and community-building projects. Over eight weeks in Spring 2023, eight to ten youth will take part in four activities led by local artists and businesses: Forest Walking, Pottery, Movement, and Mural Painting Workshops. Participants will be encouraged to cultivate their strengths, create a sense of belonging, discover new outlets, and increase individual and communal well-being. The project culminates with a permanent mural in an organization for youth.
“We look forward to getting into the community and sharing this experience with a group of youth in Guelph. We are so grateful for the Pay It Forward Arts Fund to be able to imagine a project of this kind, and see it through in our community.” – Hind and Collette
GAC Executive Director, Damian Weston, is excited about the new award and the projects it will generate.
“The Pay It Forward Arts Fund and the Re: Project have the ability to become powerful voices by placing the arts as a connective tissue between artists, business and the community, and each becoming stronger through that connection.” – Damian Weston
Watch for updates on this project on GAC social media and at guelpharts.ca
About Guelph Arts Council:
Since 1975, Guelph Arts Council has been dedicated to supporting, stimulating, and promoting arts and culture in Guelph. Guelph Arts Council is funded in part by The Guelph Community Foundation and City of Guelph. We also acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.
For more information, contact:
Damian Weston, Executive Director, Guelph Arts Council, guelpharts.ca, phone 519-836-3280, Email [email protected]
Photos Courtesy of Outlet
