Peach City Radio will be back in action tomorrow, not broadcasting, but set up at the community market, selling used vinyl records to raise funds for the fledgling community radio station.
Last year, more than 1,800 records were donated when the Peach City Community Radio Society held a Vinyl Drive, offering to pick up unwanted records from basements and garages all over Penticton.
They’ve been making good use of those donations, turning them into fundraising opportunities at community events and their own Okanagan Vinyl Festival last September, which drew vinyl collectors from all over to buy, sell, and trade classic albums in a variety of musical genres.
Those vinyl enthusiasts will be back on Sept. 22 for the second annual Okanagan Vinyl Festival and the Peach City Radio will be there with their stockpile too. But what about those records that just don’t sell, or can’t even be given away?
Just what do you do with multiple copies of Lush Strings on vinyl, or triplicate copies of the Nana Mouskouri Christmas album?
In an effort to repurpose the leftover records, which are often obscure instrumental works or duplications of easy listening albums from past decades, Peach City Radio is calling for artists of all ages and abilities to try their hand at Vinyl Art. Vinyl records can be transformed in many ways — from sculpture to jewellery to paintings on the grooved vinyl, even softening the vinyl in a warm oven to form it into new shapes. A number of local artists have already signed up to take part but there are lots of records to go around.
For a small entry fee, packs of records are available from the radio society and individuals or groups can submit creations in one of two categories: artist or public. Submissions, both two and three dimensional, will be on display at the Okanagan Vinyl Festival, and select pieces will be shown throughout Penticton and included in an art auction as well.
Anyone interested in participating in this Vinyl Art show or wanting more information should contact vinylart@peachcityradio.org.