May 17, 2013

The artists of Elgin County and St Thomas needed promotion and exposure as a tourism destination.  The County of Elgin included a local Artist’s map in their strategic plan.  EBRC had included an Art Map in our Operational Plan and this year invested $2,000 in the $21,275 project.  This project includes artists, galleries and visual handicrafts from across Elgin County and St Thomas.  There has been increased exposure for these artisans.  The map contains two trails – the Savour Elgin Trail on one side and the Elgin Art Trail Map on the other.  This map is “glove box” sized and perfect for stay-cations and day trips.

This project increased awareness of our vibrant artist community here in Elgin/St Thomas.  The Economic Development Department of the County of Elgin promotes the Art Trail at trade shows across Canada through distribution of these maps.  The Elgin Art Trail map won a 2012 Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and an Economic Developers of Ontario (EDCO) Marketing Award of Excellence.

The artisans from across our area use this map for cross exposure of businesses and encourage visitors to stay and explore more of St Thomas and Elgin County.

Visit ElginArtTrail.ca for details