An art & literature awareness & fundraising campaign to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the preservation and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary: an Online Silent Auction, Sponsorship Drive and Events culminating in an ART TOUR & AWARENESS FORUM.

Project Watershed thanks the Real Estate Foundation for their grant of $15 000 towards "Keeping It Living". The Real Estate Foundation works to advance knowledge and practices leading to more sustainable use and conservation of land in BC.

Keeping It Living 2011 - Call for Artists and Creative Writers

Join us to inspire the vision and open the dialogue for creating the return of abundance by preserving the Courtenay River Estuary. Project Watershed and the Estuary Working Group are holding an ART and CREATIVE WRITING competition and silent auction.

This includes:
- an online gallery January to April, 2011 publicized B.C. wide
- one work of each, visual and written, to be exhibited on a monthly news page
- one month show at various locations throughout the Comox Valley
- cash prizes for Juror's Choice, People's choice and Artist's Choice
- opportunity for artwork to serve as next year's promotional image for "Keeping It Living"

Details (visit www.keepingitliving.ca for more details):
- Artwork image submitted as JPEG to www.keepingitliving.ca
- Artwork must be submitted online with entry fee ($20) and form
- All mediums accepted, must be your own original work
- Creative Writing pieces are free to enter, max 200 words
- All 2D artwork must be framed and/or ready to hang
- All entries must be for sale, proceeds split 50/50

And the 2010 winners are...

Art is a big part of the Keeping It Living Campaign. Artists in and around the Comox Valley submitted pieces for the silent auction with 50% of the proceeds going to the protection and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary. All art submitted for the silent auction was also entered into an art competition which was judged by three sets of judges: the artists themselves, The Estuary Working Group and the general public. The winners are listed below:

People's Choice - "Waterfall" by Nancy Morrison
Keeping It Living Choice - "Mingling Waters" by Jennifer Weber
http://keepingitliving.ca/archives/936 by Brian Buckrell

Thank you Comox Valley

The 2010 Keeping It Living Campaign and Estuary Gala Gathering was a great success due to the tremendous support from the Comox Valley, especially those listed below:

General Gala Necessities
Courtenay and District Fish & Game Protective Association, Cona Hostel, Zen Zero, TheatreWorks, Mount Washington Hostel & Avalanche Bar & Grill, All In One Party Rentals and Chrysalis Farms.

Gala Food
The Gourmet Chef, Safeway, Desert Wines, "The Foremost" and Mark Wells, Estevan Tuna, Halstead Farms, Natural Pastures Cheese, Dairyland Foods, Thrifty Foods, Edible Island, Heavenly Goodies, Fiesta Greenhouses, Quality Foods, Superstore, Comox Valley Lawns to Gardens, Cranberry Mama, Royston Roasting, Nature's Way Farm and The Prawn Man.

Silent Auction, Art Competition & Ticket Sales
Zocalo Cafe & Gallery, Music Maxx, Cardero Coffee & Tea Company, Blue Heron Books, Seeds Natural Market, Otter's Kitchen Cove, Tarbell's Cafe, Brambles Market, Freakin Coffeeshop and Continual Palingenesis - Social Media Solutions.

Note: View the attachment to this message to see the page as it appeared in The Comox Valley Record.