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Arrowsmith Rotary Club’s annual banner painting program returns

Organizers keep ‘paint at home’ format, aim for 90 new banners for Port Alberni arts district
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Gary Bender from Bailey Electric secures two art banners on lampposts at Argyle Street and Sixth Avenue in May 2020. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

The Arrowsmith Rotary Club in Port Alberni has brought back its annual banner painting program for the 14th consecutive year.

Each year, artists paint banners to brighten up the Rotary Arts District in Port Alberni’s Uptown. Previously, the Rotary Club held a “paint in” for artists at the Glenwood Centre over Family Day long weekend, but after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the club switched to a “paint at home” program instead. Larry McGifford of the Arrowsmith Rotary says the club is sticking with this paint at home program again in 2023.

“When we made the switch to paint at home, we found the number of artists who registered increased,” McGifford explained. He believes artists like the flexibility and the ability to paint at their own pace.

Last year, 2022, was a record-setting year for the banner program, with the rotary club hanging up 88 new banners on lampposts throughout Port Alberni’s Uptown. The program featured many new artists, and younger artists as well.

“We had some exceptional artwork last year,” said McGifford. “It’s more than just painting a banner—it’s allowing the artists to share their work.”

READ MORE: Port Alberni’s Rotary art banner program sets record with most-ever new banners

The first blank banners for 2023 went out to artists on Feb. 18, but McGifford says there are still spots available for the second phase of painting (starting March 11) and the third phase (April 1). Banners will be hung up in May, as long as the weather cooperates.

The club’s banner painting program is limited by supplies, and by the number of lamp posts in the Rotary Arts District, but McGifford says the goal is to put up 90 new banners this year.

Anyone interested in painting a banner can register or find out more information by emailing arrowsmithrotaryclub@gmail.com.



elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com

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Elena Rardon

About the Author: Elena Rardon

I have worked with the Alberni Valley News since 2016.
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