Leduc Art Club

A little history on how this event started

Our first show and competition started in 2013 by Leduc Art Club members Doreen Pyrch, the late Gail Froland and Ingrid Shields.  We were looking for a way to get the arts on the forefront of the community in Leduc.  We believed that it was important that our youth be encouraged to continue art after high school.  We incorporated the student show with our own art show.  

The first two years of the event took place at the Leduc Civic Centre using the atrium as a backdrop for the artwork.  In the third year it was decided that the Club would take the show to the people.  With thousands of community members frequenting the Leduc Recreation Centre during the Black Gold Rodeo weekend, this was an obvious choice to bring the art to the people.  

Year after year the Leduc Art Club makes contact with the Black Gold Schools district and other local schools in the area to engage every possible student in grade 10, 11 and 12.  As the show evolved, the Club has received more funding from the community agencies to help distribute prizes to the winners.   A variety of local, professional artists have juried the show to determine the winners.  Through the years, new categories have been added to accommodate the changing art scene.  

The Grade 5 students are invited to participate as part of Rodeo weekend as well.  Classes submit a collection of work that is displayed in the main corridor as well as the big screen in the arena during the rodeo events.   One class was randomly selected to receive Rodeo tickets, Leduc Recreation Centre prize packages and a class pizza party.  

The relationship with the City of Leduc, the Leduc Recreation Centre and Black Gold Rodeo has made this event a success.  There is a sincere gratitude for the amount of work the teachers put into facilitating this event.  Even facing uncertain times with COVID we were able to successfully continue this event and we believe it will be around for a long time!