We asked and they answered. Little Manitou Art Gallery.

Get to know your local gallery.

Little Manitou Art Gallery, located in Manitou Beach, is proud to display a variety of work from more than 100 visual artists. They also host over a dozen literary artists that have their work in print or perform on stage. Each year, the gallery hosts performances on their outdoor stage from up to 50 performance artists, dancers, and musicians.

The gallery has been in operation for over eight years and is located just two blocks from the main beach and is central to many popular tourist attractions. The property also features a perennial garden to explore where visitors will find even more original artwork.

We asked owner, gallerist, and artist Sarah McKen to tell us more.

SG: Why did you open your unique gallery?

SM: I am a visual artist myself and have participated in public art events, symposia, and exhibitions through several non-profits for over 30 years. I have always had a useful combination of skills - business management and creative ability. I sculpt and cast my own bronze sculpture, I have a “day job” as a financial manager, and I volunteer in the community providing grant administration/project management for cultural activities.

The combination of my experience and interests developed into my dream of establishing my own gallery. I decided to move to Manitou Beach because it is a popular tourist destination with a thriving arts community. I purchased a property close to the main attractions that also has a cindercrete garage that I use for my bronze casting. In the first year of operation, several artists joined the gallery, displaying their work for sale.

SG: What is your most surprising item in your vault or backroom?

SM: We actually don’t have a vault or backroom; all artists’ work at the gallery is displayed for sale. Probably the most surprising thing for visitors is our open studio and foundry. You are welcome to view the work areas when artists create. Both Clayton Cave and I have studios on site. Clayton’s studio features carving bone, antler, wood and stone, and I melt and pour the molten bronze to create original sculpture in the foundry.

SG: What did you do before you were a gallerist?

SM: I worked at the University of Saskatchewan in the Computing Services Department starting as a help desk student, certifying as a project manager, managing cost recovery services, and eventually supervising nine amazing staff people. After 11 years I moved to a private business in downtown Saskatoon where I was the Financial Manager and Computer Tech. The entire time I was working corporate jobs, I also continued my work as an artist - studying with the late Bill Epp at the University of Saskatchewan and then as an artist in residence at his Foundry in Martensville for a year.

SG: Why did you name your gallery Little Manitou Art Gallery?

SM: The gallery is located in the Resort Village of Manitou Beach, which is on the South shore of Little Manitou Lake. Our place is unique, we have small pavilions each of which are under 100 square feet - we are truly little. Manitou is Cree for Great Spirit and the spirit of Manitou is the rejuvenating and inspiring soul of our place.

SG: Why should someone come to your gallery?

SM: Every year Little Manitou Art Gallery has become more successful and is now proud to host artwork by over 100 different Saskatchewan artists and in 2019, we had over 9,000 visitors. We work to connect to every genre of the arts - we host an annual literary event, live music events on our outdoor stage every weekend throughout the summer, and welcome artist drop-in vending on site. We pride ourselves in being artist-friendly; we do not charge any registration/table booking fee or impose schedule requirements on our artists.

We are dedicated to honouring the First Nations connection to Little Manitou Lake and we are proud to work with several artists expressing their cultural heritage in both traditional and modern ways. Because we are artists working with artists, our place is an honest connection to Saskatchewan’s creative community. It is dynamic and expressive. Different artists visit and visitors see something new each time they come.

Visitors to Little Manitou Art Gallery are invited to explore the open studios, discover the large variety of artwork, and connect with the artists. There are free games for the children to play in the garden and benches in the shade for those who just want to enjoy the serenity.

Little Manitou Art Gallery is a 4-way win: Visitors have a unique experiential cultural destination, artists have a retail outlet in a tourist market, Little Manitou Art Gallery gets to hang out with the cool people who appreciate the arts, and the community of Manitou Beach grows in recognition as a cultural gathering place.

Learn more about Little Manitou Art Gallery on their website, Facebook or Instagram.

Owner, gallerist and artist Sarah McKen.

“Our place is unique, we have small pavilions each of which are under 100 square feet - we are truly little. Manitou is Cree for Great Spirit and the spirit of Manitou is the rejuvenating and inspiring soul of our place.”

Gallery ProfilesKarlie King12 May 2020