The 2019 Williams Lake Art Walk and Sale will be without Arty the Art Walker.
Willie Dye said he was hopeful that the Downtown BIA would change their mind after a meeting last fall indicated that his contract would not be renewed.
“We had a meeting and they said that they have other plans for the operation of the events in the downtown Williams Lake area and they weren’t going to renew my contract this year,” he said.
“I was quite shocked. I thought I had done a very good job and I had made up my mind I’d like to go a couple more years and do some more exciting things, but they obviously had different ideas.”
Dye said there were only 28 merchants and artists in the first year that he was involved, and that this past year there were 60 merchants and artists.
He adds although he’s not sure if the Art Walk and Sale will have the same sparkle without Arty the Artwalker, he hopes it carries on and does well.
“I had a great time with it. I loved the whole concept of getting out there and playing the role talking with artists, the merchants, the walkers too; people that were out on the street looking at the art. They were great, they supported me and I supported them,” Dye said.
“I”m sad it’s not going to continue but I hope the event succeeds.”
“It’s a very good event for downtown Williams lake it really is. It involves the artists, it involves the merchants, and it involves the citizens of the Cariboo because there’s a lot of people from Quesnel and 100-Mile House that came down to Williams Lake to participate in the art walk so all the way around it is a great event for Wiliams Lake.”
MyCaribooNow has reached out to the Williams Lake BIA for further comment.