The Weyburn Arts Council's 37th Annual James Weir People's Choice(JWPC) is on right now at the Allie Griffin Art Gallery(AGAG). The 2021 JWPC is a bit different this year, including some changes due to Covid.

There are a couple of different ways you can vote and have your say as to what artworks you'd like to see win the 37th annual JWPC. One way you can vote is in person using Covid safe measures at the AGAG, which is in the lower level of the Weyburn Public Library. You can also vote online if you're not comfortable voting in person. Curator Regan Lanning let us know that there have been less in-person votes than usual this year, but they were expecting that due to Covid. Lanning noted that online voting has allowed for attention on the world stage, with votes coming in from many other countries, "Not only from people from Weyburn, or people from Saskatchewan but people around the world. So people from South Africa have voted, people from Taiwan, the Philippines, Ukraine, Germany, Iceland, all of the European Union, even England, even tho they're not technically part of the European Union anymore, people from England have also voted. So it's not just our little Weyburn centric voting this year, it's a full worldwide art contest."

Voting for the 37th Annual JWPC ends at 5 pm on March 18th, with a reception happening at 7 pm on March 25th. Lanning noted some changes to the reception, "Normally that is our biggest social event of the calendar but this year we're not doing an in-person reception. Instead, we will be live streaming it on the Allie Griffin Art Gallery's Facebook page. The only people in attendance will be myself, a few members of the Weyburn Arts Council, and the top 3 placed artists will also be in attendance.. We'll be awarding some beautiful, custom-made statuary provided to us by the wonderful folks at Speedy Auto Glass."

With Covid, the Weyburn Arts Council has had to change some things about the annual people's choice exhibition. In lieu of in-person tours, WAC put together an online video, "Usually every year I do tours through the James Weir People's Choice exhibition with school children but also other community groups come and book a private tour with me. This year that's not really viable, so members of the Arts Council got together and filmed a tour." Check out the tour video below:

Find out more about the Weyburn Arts Council & the JWPC on Facebook, Instagram, or the City of Weyburn Website.

Vote for your favourite pieces in the 37th Annual James Weir People's Choice here.