Artists from Gimli and across the region have until July 24 to submit their work for the 57th annual Islendingdagurinn Art Show, a highlight of the 137th Icelandic Festival of Manitoba set to run from July 31 to August 3. The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the Lakeview Gimli Resort’s Darren Hall and is expected to draw thousands of visitors.
The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba is seeking submissions from artists of Icelandic descent as well as anyone who wants to celebrate Icelandic culture and heritage. Works can be in pottery, painting, ceramic, photography, carving, sculpture, or other mediums, with applicants asked to fill out a Word Doc or fillable PDF form and return it by email or to the festival office by the deadline.
While the Art Show is free to attend, participating artists may have questions about guidelines or fees. Festival Operations Manager Cameron Mackay is the main contact for inquiries. The exhibition schedule is August 1 and 2 from 10 AM to 4 PM, and August 3 from 11 AM to 3 PM.
This year’s judge is Leif Norman, a Winnipeg arts and cultural photographer who has worked in the field since 1999 and founded the FLASH Photographic Festival in 2014. His background in the arts community will help him assess the diverse range of entries, which will compete for awards including Best in Show, the Festival Purchase Choice Award, and the Soren Tergesen Memorial Award, along with categories for Best Painting, Best Photography, Best Mixed Media, Best 3 Dimensional, Best Youth 12 and under, and Best Youth.
The Art Show is sponsored by Aurora Recovery Centre and Taylor McCaffrey LLP. The Icelandic Festival, also known as Islendingadagurinn, has been held since 1890 and in Gimli since 1932 and is considered one of the oldest continuous ethnic festivals in North America, celebrating Icelandic heritage with events that attract visitors from across the province and beyond.
