Winter in the Bay, an art show and writing contest, is back for the fourth year. The event offers community members of all ages an opportunity to engage with art by using one piece of art in the art show as inspiration or illustration for a nonfiction essay, short work of fiction, poem, or—new this year—song.
The event kicks off with an art exhibit that runs from Friday, February 2 to Thursday, February 29 at three in-person locations: the St. Margaret’s Bay Community Enterprise Centre, the Tantallon Public Library, the Credit Union Atlantic, Tantallon Branch; and online.
Once writers have a chance to check out the art, they select one piece as inspiration or illustration for their writing submission. All entries must be submitted by Monday, March 18. The writing contest is open to writers aged 8 to adult.
Full contest details are on this website, here.
Winning nonfiction essays are published in The Masthead News, along with the piece of art that inspired them. The names of all contest winners are also published in this newspaper. Thanks to generous sponsorships, there are also cash prizes for winners.
A long-awaited book that will collect the stories and art from previous years—all submissions, not just the contest winners—will be published this year, and funding is being sought to publish entries to come in 2024.
Winter in the Bay is presented by the St. Margaret’s Bay Community Enterprise Centre, the Peggy’s Cove Area Art Society, and The Masthead News, and receives generous support from various contributors.
Follow details on the Winter in the Bay Facebook page.
Shown here, “Hibernation” by Anne Fraser, 10×10 collage on wood panel, of of 41 pieces of art in the Winter in the Bay art show and sale.