Courtesy of the Artist

For art virgins, the Cheaper Show is an opportunity to buy your first piece of art at prices that are cheaper than a one night stand.

One of the most anticipated art events of the year, the Cheaper Show is a one-night extravaganza which will see 10,000 attendees descend upon Main Street. There will be 400 pieces of art from 200 artists up for sale at just $200 each. “The most significant difference between our show and the way a standard commercial gallery operates is our price point,” said founder Graeme Berglund.

Now celebrating it’s tenth anniversary, the Cheaper Show has grown into the largest cultural art event in Western Canada. And according to Berglund, you can “grab a beer, hang out with your friends, do a full tour of the room and possibly buy your first piece of art.”

A genuine Vancouver gem, the Cheaper Show is an organic art movement for refined collectors and novices alike. “It’s literally been the interest from the artists and the public that has driven this event,” commented Berglund.

Formerly called “Cheaper Than a One Night Stand,” Berglund rebranded the Cheaper Show in 2008 to open up the underground event to the Vancouver public. It was a roaring success with over 5,000 people attending the newly-named event. “I knew then that the public had an appetite for this kind of event.”

Crediting their growth to both word of mouth and social media, the Cheaper Show continues to stay true to it’s roots by providing quality pieces at affordable pieces. “The show is always drawing in new art viewers, people who wouldn’t go see an informal show in someone’s house in Stratchona, but are drawn by the hype surrounding this event. They then recognize how easy the process is and become inspired.”

This year, the show has partnered with businesses along Main Street to offer the Cheaper Show Day. Participating businesses will be offering cheap food, beer and retail discounts all day long to celebrate the Mount Pleasant community.

Buy Art, Not Cocaine

Last year, Scott Lewis bought his first piece of art at the Cheaper Show. This year, the Vancouver native was selected out of almost 1,000 applicants and will be showing two of his paintings, which he describes as “moody landscape.”

A former fine arts student at UBC, Lewis’s advice to students looking to start their art collection is to “just go on instinct, don’t look too much into the name. There’s so much to look at, if something jumps out, just grab it.”

Berglund agrees, adding that “there’s a misconception around art, people think you need to have an education. It’s just like hearing a song or seeing any image, art is something that you’re personally drawn to. Trust your gut instinct. The show offers an amazing evening where people buy instinctively and impulsively, so sprint for the cash desk.”

From Waldo to the Sedins

Melanie Coles is one of the Cheaper Show’s four featured artists and is no stranger to the Vancouver art community. Her most notable pieces include “Where on Earth is Waldo?”—a painted rooftop Waldo to be found on Google Earth—and the recent “Sedin Proposal” in which she left her telephone number and proposed to the twins on a billboard. Coles will be showing both a large scale art installation and three new collages at the Cheaper Show.

“Instead of having a piece for sale for $200, [featured artists] were given the money to spend on supplies. I created a 3D installation in one of the big windows, so you can see it from both the street and the gallery. It’s a large scale 3D collage, so it’s essentially two different pieces from the inside and the outside,” explained Coles.

Besides offering art to the public community, the Cheaper Show also works as a platform to showcase innovations by emerging artists. As a featured artist, Coles has been able to create her art without financial limitations.

“The show has really allowed me to just have complete freedom and try something new, knowing I’ll have an audience for it. This is my first time making something 3D, and it’s just great for emerging artists to learn more about their work.”

The Cheaper Show opens it’s doors at 6pm on Saturday, June 25th at 188 Kingsway. Admission is a $10 donation, or $7 with your student ID. All proceeds go to the Emerging Arts Foundation. Visit their website for details.

(+7 rating, 5 votes)

 Loading ...