Sooke Fine Arts Show

The 2025 Sooke Fine Arts Show is drawing near! The Sooke Fine Arts Show (SFAS) is a spectacular, 10-day celebration of artwork across all genres, this year running from July 26 through August 4 at SEAPARC Recreation Centre in Sooke. This exciting annual event, now in its 39th year, includes the gallery of juried art works, as well as live music, demonstrations, talks, guided tours, and activities for youth and seniors. The festival kicks off July 25 with the popular Purchasers’ Preview Night. Tickets for that event are available online at sookefinearts.com.

In a juried show like the SFAS the juror’s role is an important one. As well as choosing the content for the show they determine which works receive awards and special recognition. Their careful consideration helps maintain the Show’s reputation for excellence and innovation within the art community, ensuring that the highest quality and most innovative pieces are selected for display. This attention to curation guarantees that attendees and purchasers will experience an outstanding and diverse range of artistic styles and techniques.

2025 Jury

This year’s SFAS jury panel includes three exceptional and experienced art professionals, all with considerable depth and breadth in their knowledge of the arts. Artist Ken Gillespie, visual arts professor Beth Stuart, and gallery owner Razali May will review submissions and choose over 350 exceptional art pieces that will become this year’s show.

When asked about the criteria for adjudicating art pieces, juror Beth Stuart prioritizes “curiosity, a sense of inquiry, experimentation, honesty, and commitment,” while juror Ken Gillespie looks at the basic technical aspects. In particular, he highlights the importance of composition, color combinations, brushwork, and confidence in how the work is executed. Gillespie pays attention to “how the artist moves my eye through the work and the overall impact of how it makes me feel.”

Gillespie offers some advice to emerging artists: put in the many thousands of hours needed to work with confidence. Stuart agrees. “Just persist,” she advises. “It’s the only thing that matters.”

As for art viewers, the jurors advise people to pay attention to pieces that spark something in you. “Just step back,” says Gillespie, “and experience how it feels in your gut.”

SFAS remains committed to celebrating artistic excellence and providing a platform for emerging and established artists alike. With a distinguished jury at the helm, the upcoming show promises to be a showcase of contemporary artistry that inspires, challenges, and captivates audiences.