An art exhibit at Red Deer Polytechnic is putting food insecurity in the spotlight on Nov. 7.
Unhampered: Print Exchange and Food Drive will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Forum where anyone who donates food or funds can request a complementary art print of their choice from the students in attendance.
RDP visual arts student Bailey Horton came up with the idea for the event to demonstrate the positive influence art can have on social issues.
“With Unhampered, I hope to use my artistic practice to open up curiosity around our local food bank and the services they provide. Through the exchange of prints to the public, I want to create a way for members of our community to support the food bank even if they are unable to donate," said Horton, in a statement.
The event will be held a week after Food Banks Canada released its 2024 Hunger Count report that showed food bank use has skyrocketed 90 per cent in just five years.
Mitch Thomson, Red Deer Food Bank executive director, said Red Deer Polytechnic has a food bank, but students can only access the service three times during the duration of their program.
"If they can no longer access the service at the school, they come to us. Naturally, that means students in need are indeed some of those who are among the two million Canadians visiting food banks across the country every month," Thomson said.
The work behind Unhampered began on Oct. 21 with a small printmaking workshop hosted by Horton who provided instruction on the print process while food bank staff shared information, statistics and stories about their work.
“It was a great conversation. We discussed some of the possible causes of food scarcity, how it affects a person’s lifestyle, work, and school, where we source food, the quality of our food, and what is needed to shift the stigma and lift one another up into a healthier life and brighter outlook. It was a great experience, and we all learned from one another," Horton said.
