With less than a week until cruise ships begin to arrive in Haines, the Alaska Arts Confluence wants to highlight the community’s artistic profile and diversify its economic activity through a new arts festival.
Confluence director Helen Alton says Hains Arts Fest ‘23 can help expand the local economy during a time when there aren’t usually visitors in the area.
Alton: “It’s just before the cruise ship season launches. And by promoting this, we will add, hopefully, more visitors coming to Haines to start building a bigger, better community and an ability for our community to have more revenue coming in. So it’s an economic development.”
The 10-day festival celebrates various arts in the Haines area. Unlike other stops in Southeast Alaska, Haines is not known as a prime tourist destination. Alton believes that creativity and art can help change that.
Alton: “You have to be creative, you may be starting your own job, you may be finding new venues. For Haines, as a small, isolated community, we need to get creative about how we get our word, our name out there, how we get our products out there. We’re benefiting more from some of these online art markets and Etsy. We have a number of artists who are on Etsy, things like that, that really helped promote our town and bring economic benefits to our town. So creativity, I think, is obviously of vast worth.”
One of the events Alton wants to highlight is a showing of the film Journey to Adaka at the Haines Sheldon Museum Wednesday evening. The documentary is about a culture festival of Northern First Nations people including Haines artist Wayne Price. Price’s wife, Cherri Price, says the film is an intimate look at life.
Price: “It talks about seven artists that are preparing for this grand Indigenous Celebration. And theyl it shows their journey. It’s an emotional kind of intimate look into their lives and preparing for this journey to Attica. Its northern indigenous culture, singer songwriters, there’s a singer songwriter in the film, there’s carving, there’s performers, a fashion show, while a fabulous fashion show of indigenous regalia, and modern clothing. It’s a great film.”
Price is also starring in a one night only performance of the A.R. Guerney play, Love Letters, the following Friday.
Price: “Love letters is about two people that like each other from childhood, they love each other. And they write once in a while and as they grow up into their adulthood. One of them continues writing and the other is she writes back but she’s very eccentric, and he and colors outside of the lines. And he’s not eccentric. He’s very kind of went by the rules kind of guy and they’re very different people, but they love each other.”
The confluence director, Alton, says this is a complimentary play to the Art Festival.
Alton: “It is a wonderful show. Very well acted and very thought provoking. And it really talks about life and, and who we are and where we go with what the arts what our choices make for us what happens to us with our choices and the roads of love, the roads of love and what is love, love is many different things to different people.”
Alton says this is only the beginning for the Arts Fest in Haines and hopes more people participate moving forward.
Alton: “ We’re looking for people to come to it and just be a part of it. Enjoy, enjoy. Hopefully, we’ll have this beautiful weather and it’ll be just a fabulous thing to do. As part of our celebration of spring, and then we’re looking for artists to help participate. We’re really hoping to see some pop ups. Maybe things that aren’t on our program, but people are like, hey, it’s art festival. Let’s start fast. Let’s do something creative.”
Following the week of Art Fest celebrations, Haines residents and visitors can continue the party with Spring Fling at the Haines Fair ground.
Haines Art Fest ‘23 will kick off at 1:30pm Saturday, April 22nd with an art market at the Ft. Seward Sculpture Garden. It’s open to the public. Anyone can attend, with art demonstrations, sidewalk art for kids, selling flowers and baked goods, and music among the activities. The following day will have two events taking place, with a game of musical easels from 2pm to 4pm, followed by a concert in the Chilkat center with pianist and songwriter Michael Reynolds. For more info text or call Helen Alton at 907-314-2073.
