Critical Mass is calling on the artists, kids, families, and businesses of Port Hope to join the #frommywindow movement that started in Spain, to spread hope and joy in our community during this challenging time of the global COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing.
“From My Window is about creating an outdoor gallery of sorts,” says Miles Bowman, president of Critical Mass. “It’s a beautiful opportunity for the community to come together to make art and to enjoy the decorated windows created by others when we go out for our walks (while keeping safe distances from others of course!).”
Bowman continues, “we have been watching Italy spreading hope song by song on its balconies and we’ve also been watching Canadians come together through the notion of caremongering. Critical Mass thought we could bring these ideas together.”
“We’ve been concerned about the effects isolation will have on our small town and the impact it will have on our businesses,” explains Bowman.
“Through window art, we can make something beautiful together to spread joy throughout our community, safely, from the comfort of our homes. And through caremongering we can support our local businesses by buying gift certificates and offering them to participants as prizes.”
Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Dr. Anna Tucka, Schmidt Law Legal Services, SMM Law, Critical Mass and its board of directors has begun to assemble a selection of prizes — gift certificates that support local businesses, that will be offered as prizes.
The #frommywindow challenge encourages people of all ages and abilities to participate. You don’t need to be an artist to participate, although we would love to see our local artists embrace this challenge. Kids, families, and businesses, are all invited to participate. Art is for all.
If you would like to donate a prize to help out our local businesses, please contact info@criticalmassart.com to arrange a prize donation.
Here’s how the challenge works:
1. Decorate your window(s) with a colourful display of art or crafts
2. Take a photo of your window and post it to your social media page
3. Use the hashtags #FromMyWindow #PortHope and #Caremongering
4. Tag @criticalmassart
When you tag @criticalmassart you’ll be considered for a chance to win a prize! Draws will take place every Friday. The first draw will be on Friday, March 27th.
The draw for prizes will continue each Friday until the kids are able to go back to school; until the restaurants and bars are able to reopen; and until we can get back to our daily routines.
How are winners selected? The Critical Mass curatorial committee will select windows that bring us joy each week (entries of all skill levels and abilities) and will spread some joy and care by giving those individuals or families a gift certificate.
If you would like to donate a prize to help out our local businesses, please contact info@criticalmassart.com to arrange a prize donation.
Critical Mass, believes that art is for all. For its 2020 programming, Critical Mass is exploring the theme of environment. In this time of a global COVID-19 pandemic, Critical Mass wanted to launch a positive activity for all to address how our ‘personal’ environments are currently being affected by social isolation and physical distancing.
The goal for Critical Mass is to bring Port Hope together: to bring joy to each other through art, and in the spirit of care-mongering to also take care of our local businesses.Together we will get through this hardship.
For more information, visit criticalmassart.com.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
