At Concordia … ART MATTERS

There are still a few days left to check out this year’s arts festival at Concordia. In its sixth year, Art Matters is a student-run festival that aims to unite the artistic population of Concordia and to give them an outlet to show off their work. Art Matters was created in 2000 by five Fine Arts students who felt there was a lack of artistic expression at Concordia. They wanted art of all kinds being produced by Concordia students to be showcased to both the student population and the surrounding community.

Art Matters is an annual festival at Concordia; it runs for three weeks. Art is exhibited both on campus and in various venues around Montreal. Admission is free and doors are open to anyone interested. Musical, theatrical, and multi-media performances are often held at the different venues where art pieces are exhibited.

According to Emily Wang, one of the festival’s contributors, Art Matters successfully brings the Concordia art scene into the city’s limelight.

“I think it’s a really good way of (.) incorporating the arts program into Montreal,”Wang said.

Because many of the venues chosen for Art Matters happen to be popular bars and local hangouts, Wang said you don’t have to know about the festival to come across one of its shows this month.

“They’re already venues that most people go to, so even if you haven’t heard of it, chances are you’ll get to see some of the art,” she said.

Wang said the vernissages for each show are usually attended by Concordia students, but that the art at each exhibit is up for about a month, and anyone passing through the venues will be able to take a glance at the work on display.

Most of the art pieces in the Art Matters festival are not for sale. Wang said she only knows of one showcase venue where the art is priced to sell. The idea behind the festival is not for the artists to make a profit from their work, but to simply get out into the city and have their work noticed by amateurs, and connoisseurs alike.

Art Matters prides itself on being one of the first art festivals of its kind in Canada. It is created by the students, for the students, and anyone is welcome to take part in the organization and production of the festival.

Volunteer positions are available for a number of different tasks and the people at Art Matters are always open to suggestions about how to make the festival even better.

Wang said she feels the festival is an important way for art students to come together, and to branch out into the Montreal community. The festival has its roots in Montreal and Wang feels Art Matters reflects the vibrant energy of the art community in the city.

“It’s really made for this city, it’s perfect for it,”she said.

To find out more about Art Matters events, visit their website at: www.artmatters.concordia.ca. The closing night party will be Sunday March 19th at Theatre Plaza, 6505 St. Hubert, (Metro Beaubien) from 8pm – 3am.

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