Nearly 80 artists set to be showcased at 61st Aurora Art Show & Sale

April 24, 2025 · 0 Comments

Nearly 80 artists from York Region and beyond are set to see their work in the spotlight at the 61^st annual Aurora Art Show and Sale, hosted by the Town of Aurora and the Society of York Region Artists. (SOYRA)

Set for Town Hall on Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, the juried show and sale features some of the best work SOYRA members have to offer, with more than 300 pieces of work ready to be displayed over three floors.

“This impressive show is truly a ‘must see’ show and is the longest-running Art Show in York Region, GTA, and arguably Canada!” say organizers.

Putting the finishing touches on the show this year are Janice Jones, SOYRA’s new president who took the helm in December, and Shelley Ware, Special Events Coordinator for the Town of Aurora.

“Going to something like this art show is amazing because it’s huge, it’s over three floors, and you just get to walk through and it makes you feel so much,” says Jones. “If you’re drawn to imagery or even a landscape, it can take you out of the drudgery you’re in or away from the things that are weighing you down on a daily basis, and you can just give your brain a break. That’s the magic of art. It can just take you somewhere else. [Here] there is lots to see, lots to take in. Sometimes when you’re looking at a work of art, you’re almost getting a feeling of who the person is, who created it. That is kind of magical, too.”

Taking over SOYRA’s role in the show from Linda Welch, the organization’s long-serving past-president who is still an active member of the Society, Jones says working with the Town has been a “really great collaboration” and the results speak for themselves: an impressive 77 SOYRA members came forward to be exhibited this time around.

In addition to these 77 SOYRA members, scores of local artists between the ages of 12 and 17 will be featured in the show’s annual Youth Category, sponsored once again by the Optimist Club of Aurora.

Styles of art set to be represented include oils, acrylics, watercolour, sculpture, and what Jones describes as an “alternate medium” category.

Jones’ own passion for art gravitates towards oils, a talent which she began to hone in 2019. It wasn’t too long before she decided to join up with SOYRA and all it offers.

“I just wanted to find myself with like-minded people, to be able to collaborate on ideas, to talk with other people who get excited about art,” she explains. “Not everybody does that in their day-to-day life, and I discovered this wonderful group of creatives that just enjoy learning. SOYRA is very much about learning.

“I was painting at a studio and I kept hearing about ‘SOYRA, SOYRA, SOYRA’, and I thought, ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’ Once I was more comfortable with being in the studio setting, I thought I should be a part of it. If you’re somebody who likes to network, or likes to get out for an evening, it’s just a really nice time.”

The Aurora Art Show and Sale runs Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, at Town Hall (100 John West Way) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For further information on both the Art Show & Sale and the Society of York Region Artists, visit aurora.ca/ArtShow.

By Brock Weir