Words of Thanks for Making Local Option Art Awards Gala Fundraiser a Success

WTJHS: Thank you to everyone who made our 2008 Gala fundraiser such a wonderful success!

The West Toronto Junction Historical Society would like to thank the artists, businesses and community for making our Gala fundraiser a success.

We reached our financial goals in the middle of the economic storm and it is good to note that according to the Toronto Star today the auction houses are setting records for sales of renowned artists.

Thank you so much for helping make the Junction Historical Society Gala such a hip and exciting event. It was wonderful when a voice from the audience asked our guest speaker, Don Thompson, for some good news about the art market and he pointed the walls around us and said this was where value was actually created. There are good artists in every community and there needs to be a spectrum for comparison and choice.

At the Gala I mentioned the influence of the Bloomsbury Group and their concern for social conscience. I did not realize that the economist Maynard Keynes was instrumental in the development of the group. Keynes economic plan was the foundation for financial success before Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman convinced people to allow the market free rein and led to this current financial and environmental meltdown.

Stephen Leacock, at the time arguably the most famous Canadian in the world, was about the only economist who said Free Trade would not lead to a balanced economy and was refused a doctorate in Economics and was given a degree in philosophy instead. It was his humourous works, including "The Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich" that helped him balance his own economic reality. I think in the last election Stephen Harper under estimated how many "ordinary Canadians" are artists. There are many spin off's from the Local Option Art Awards, it is evolving and has developed it's own momentum.

There will be one more event at Latitude 44 Gallery on Sunday, November 23rd, 3 - 6 pm for the artists and community to meet and discuss this Centennial project and to present the winners of the Junction Centennial Train races with their trains and the watercolour by Local Option Sponsor, Michael Reeves as well as certificates of appreciation to those involved in the project. It will be an opportunity to discuss the arts and culture in the Junction.

Lisa Rainford was right when she headlined her article about the Local Option Art Awards "The Function of the Junction is to Celebrate Art" and we continue to do so...

Many thanks again to all who have helped make this remarkable project real.

Cara Reeves, WTJHSCC

TheStar.com: NYC auctions setting records
Buyers undeterred by economic forecast, still paying millions for art
By Ula Ilnytzky
Published Nov 04, 2008 04:30 AM
http://www.thestar.com/article/529912