Artsneak in Action

by Susan Winters, Volunteer Coordinator

As part of The Works volunteer recruitment effort, the team set up a table at Night Market Edmonton this past Friday and the event was a huge success. We managed to rope in quite a few volunteers.

However, the highlight of the evening was when a young man stumbled up to one of our posters and read it aloud (a little cockeyed):

“Artsneak…  to disguise art in everyday experiences. Two. When a performance artist is hidden in a crowd.”

Taking advantage of the moment to tell him about the festival and our volunteer opportunities, I handed him a handbill with our volunteer information thinking the subject had evolved.

“I am a graffiti artist,” He said.

“Perfect, one of the exhibits this year involves a graffiti free-wall. You should come and see it,” I said.

“Let me show you. What’s your name?”

“I’m Susan,” I said. He pulled out a pen and wrote my name in his cultivated graffiti script on the bottom left corner of the handbill.  

“You can keep it,” He said, offering me the handbill I just gave him.

“Very nice,” I told him.

“Yea, how’s that for an artsneak!” He laughed off into the night before I had a chance to retort.

Artsneak in the form of a marked handbill returned to me. Yes, good artsneak, friend. I hope to see you this festival.

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Susan Winters, born in Dauphin, Manitoba, is a screenwriter, poet, and recent graduate from the University of Victoria.

In 2014 Susan won Best Screenplay through the Reel Shorts Film Festival with the script, Little Thailand, which she directed the following year. Her poetry has appeared in publications including, This Side of West (2016) and Canthius (2015). She placed second in (parenthetical)’s Blodwyn Memorial Prize and two of her poems were shortlisted for PRISM international’s Poetry Contest (2016).