Uptown Saint John Inc. launches environmental bring your own bag art contest.

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Diane Henry

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Uptown Saint John Inc. is promoting both the arts and the environment with its latest initiative, the bring your own bag art contest. The organization is hoping to encourage environmentally friendly shopping in the uptown by hosting an art contest that will turn reusable canvas bags into blank canvases for creative Saint Johners.

"It originally started when we were looking for ways to green-up the uptown," said Anne McShane, Chair of the Uptown Saint John Environment Committee. "The uptown is already quite sustainable because a lot of people already buy local and everyone walks everywhere or uses mass transit, so we were looking at ways to encourage people to bring their own shopping bags uptown."

The organization will be distributing 1,000 organic cotton bags to local shops and businesses for them to give away this fall. The businesses can purchase the bags for $2 each, even though they cost twice as much to make.

"We really don't want it to be cost prohibitive from getting the bags out there," said McShane. "The one stipulation is that those businesses have to give them out for free."

Uptown Saint John has put the call out to artists asking them to submit their work with the winning piece to be featured on the bags.

"You can be an amateur artist or a professional artist and the winner will actually have their art silk screened onto the bags," she said.

The winner will also receive a $500 gift certificate from ESL Art Supplies and all artworks will be auctioned off at a FUSION Party with a purpose on Oct 23, 2009. Half of the proceeds will return to the artist and the other half will go to help local children through the Joshua Group.

"To me they are one of the best grass roots groups in the uptown," said McShane. "They really do a lot with the kids in the uptown."

Rick Demone is the President of the Board of Directors for the Joshua Group that was formed 25 years ago by Bobby Hayes.

"He has dedicated his whole life to helping at risk children in Saint John and the surrounding area," said Demone, "and when I say at risk, I mean at risk. These kids come from neglect homes. Their mother's are either prostitutes or drug dealing and he takes anywhere between 100 to 150 kids and provides for them as best we can."

The Joshua Group operates out of the old Baptist church on Waterloo Street where it offers Sunday school as well as games and other activities such as camping or fishing.

"That's what it's all about," said Demone. "It's about helping at-risk children who have virtually nothing in life."

The group is hoping to use all proceeds raised through the art auction to buy a used bus. "We just ran into serious bus problems. The bus is broken down now so we are in dire need of money to help the bus. Once the bus is fixed the money will be used to buy toothpaste or shoes or anything the kids need."

Repairing the existing bus would cost about $8,000 and replacing it would cost approximately $10,000. "If we put $8,000 into the one we have now, in a month's time we might need to put another $8,000 into it. So we're leaning towards the bus replacement," said Demone.

Anyone interested in submitting their artwork for consideration in the BYOB Art Contest and to be auctioned off for charity must submit their entry by July 31.

"Many shops and corporations are already working to eliminate the use of plastic bags," said McShane. "We see this as an opportunity to brand the entire Uptown as a green shopping destination. We are a walkable city with clusters of galleries, boutiques, nature parks and a City Market that provides local produce. Bundle all of this into a reusable shopping bag, and you have a green shopping experience that sets us apart from other areas and cities."

Entries may be dropped off at the Uptown Saint John office at 40 King Street.