“I would like to thank the staff for their great work at the FIMA. This event is an important springboard for me as it gave me great visibility in the past three years, thanks to which I developed a faithful clientele that is looking forward to seeing me every year. Including crafts in the event is very positive for the artistic community, because there are few opportunities for the artists and artisans to present their work at such a great scale.”
www.soniabandulet.com
“… the (FIMA) experience was extremely impactful for my career development. I made $10,000 worth of sales throughout the three days I exhibited my work at the heart of downtown Montreal, and gained great visibility. I met decorators, gallery owners (Montreal and Toronto), customers who then came to visit me at the workshop. In short, this event is crucial for the future of art and artists. It is important that the FIMA pursues its mission… Montreal needs such showcases to allow the fabulous creative potential of Quebec artists emerge; we strongly need the FIMA.”
www.yoakim.ca
“The FIMA was my first large scale public exhibition, and I hope, not the last one. All artists and artisans probably wish for the same thing: be seen and appreciated by a great number of people. And this is exactly what FIMA allows for. I already felt fulfilled but sharing time with my vis-à-vis brought me to a new level. We exchanged and enjoyed ourselves, it was great! I was lucky to be awarded the festival’s Grand Prize. Receiving such an honour gave me wings and opened doors for me that had always been closed. Folk wisdom says we shouldn’t miss the boat; and I didn’t. FIMA was exactly that for me: a way to go even faster. Thanks to the wonderful team and their fabulous work; a great asset for Montreal.”
http://www.festivaldesarts.org/exposants2010/artist.php?action=home&lang=fr&id=245
"Either openly or privately, art is a way to communicate. First and foremost, the artist’s work expresses her or his personal view of the world; by revealing it, the artist attempts to reach out and provoke a public debate. For many years, FIMA has been for me a catalyst to this kind of interaction. The direct contact between the inquiring passers-by and the exhibitors give way to surprising conversations and interactions that would have been unconceivable in the more formal setting of a museum or a gallery. In this sense, the BoulevArt surpasses mainstream institutions by letting art express itself in the public space.”
http://www.festivaldesarts.org/exposants2010/artist.php?action=home&lang=fr&id=112
“I think that participating to this event has been fundamental in by artistic career in many ways. I received dozens of positive comments and appreciations of my work by the public. I could put together a new list of followers to invite to future presentations. I made several sales, thus covering a great part of my costs and efforts in preparing for the show. The event has brought me a lot of visibility with gallery owners, but mostly, I met many interested people; it allowed me to recharge my batteries and plunge again into my solitary work. I am also very grateful and enthusiastic about receiving the number one honorary mention from the visual arts jury. The FIMA organizers’ work creates a unique showcase for visual arts in Montreal.” (Underlined by the author)
www.rochlandry.com
“As an emerging artist, I decided to participate to the FIMA so I could present my art to the public. The FIMA gave me a chance to make myself known and to have great visibility with the Montreal public. FIMA was a unique experience for me. A friendly and original event which gave me the confidence and determination I needed to push my artistic work further. I met extraordinary people and caring staff. It’s an experience I would repeat without hesitation.”
http://www.fr.virginie-schroeder.com/
“A friend of mine called me in Ottawa as he was walking through FIMA in 2009. He described this enormous event which stretched further than he could see. He went on about huge crowds, and fantastic art. He told me I had to get involved the next year. So I did. FIMA was an amazing introduction to Montreal. The crowds were very passionate about the work they were viewing. I had a great time talking to people. The staff was helpful with things like keeping me alive with a constant source of water during a heat wave. I was even impressed with the shelter I was provided as it was hit with a typhoon one day. I made many contacts during FIMA that has made my hope of moving to Montreal a possibility. I'd recommend the experience to any artist looking to display their work to a very wide range people. I can't wait to attend next years' event.”
http://www.ticktocktom.com/
“As an emerging artist and a new resident to Montreal, FIMA was a wonderful opportunity to meet the city’s people and be a part of the summer festival season. As well as exhibiting, I volunteered the first few days which was a great way to see the behind the scenes, get to know even more artists, and meet the festival organizers. FIMA providing the tents and lighting made it really simple to participate for someone just starting out with only the basics. The organizers, other artists, and visitors made it a fun few days and I left with an address book full of new Montreal contacts. It was a great way to dip my toes into the art community and introduce my work to Montrealers.”
http://colleenleonardphotographie.com/ |
