Update: In support of the collective voices protesting global racial injustice, RAW Artists Canada has decided to postpone the National Arts Drive until this Saturday, June 20, 2020.
NEWS RELEASE
RAW ARTISTS
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RAW Artists announce the National Arts Drive, a three-hour community experience on Saturday, June 6, 2020, spanning throughout Canada, United States and Mexico.
Local artists will showcase their work while respecting social distancing – from windows, balconies, driveways, front lawns, workspaces, or appropriate commercial spaces. Community supporters are invited to visit participating local artists, performers, musicians and designers living in their community from a safe distance.
Collingwood resident and Orillia native Michelle Bylow is leading the charge in bringing the drive to Canada and Northern Ontario Communities.
“We are using all the resources available to us to continue our mandate of artists supporting artists,” said Bylow, executive director of RAW Artists Canada. “The drive will give artists visibility and financial support from their communities. 100 per cent of the proceeds go to the creatives”.
The Orillia & District Arts Council has joined as a community partner to help spread the word to Orillia and area artists.
“The success of the drive will depend on getting the word out to artists and their communities. We are thrilled to be working with the Orillia Arts Council and look forward to supporting the Orillia artistic community,” said Bylow.
The driving tour will be paired with a mobile website designed and built by RAW Artists. Art showcases will be identified on a map within the app, enabling drivers to plan their routes.
Using the site, visitors can support artists by liking, following and/or sharing artists’ work via social media, tipping artists through a touch-free pay app (i.e. Venmo, PayPal), and/or making future purchases from the artists online. All donations go directly to the artists.
Bylow and her team are aiming to register 10,000 Canadian artists for the event. RAW supports 10 different verticals within the arts community – film, fashion, music, visual art, performing art, beauty, accessories, photography, craft and technology. There is no charge for artists to participate, and they do not have to be members of RAW.
For more information on RAW Artists’ National Arts Drive, visit this website or this website.
About RAW Artists:
Founded in 2009, RAW is the largest independent, international arts organization in the world. RAW’s mission is to serve independent artists with the tools, resources, education and exposure needed to thrive and succeed in their creative careers. RAW is an online and offline platform that has showcased over 200k artists in 70 cities across the globe in multi-faceted arts events that draw crowds of 1,000+ attendees.
Due to the “Stay at Home” orders issued by the Canadian government; RAW Artists Canada has halted regular operations since March 15, 2020.
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