Valentine’s Day is coming up next week, which in Sackville means it’s time for another edition of The Sweetest Little Thing, a fundraising event led by Struts Gallery and the Owens Art Gallery. The event has been happening since 1999, and features an art auction with donated works from artists from Sackville and beyond.

For the past two years, the Sweetest Little Thing has been virtual, but this year the event returns to an in-person gathering at the Owens Art Gallery, and a physical exhibition of the works up for auction at the gallery.

Falvey says that in addition to being an important fundraiser for the Owens and Struts, The Sweetest Little Thing is also a community event, and, “a time to celebrate the artists who have contributed to our programming.”

For the past two years, the event was a virtual variety show, which Falvey says was what was needed at the time. “I know that there were a lot of people in particular, in 2021, who really appreciated that because we weren’t able to be together,” says Falvey. “We’ve worked really hard to keep that sense of community connection alive during the pandemic. So it’ll be really nice to have it back in our space.”

There will be some differences compared to pre-pandemic events, though. Mount Allison and Struts have an indoor mask mandate, so organizers are planning to have refreshments outside this year. “Mount Allison has something called the Flame snack cart,” says Falvey, which will serve hot cider and hot chocolate outside the gallery. “So people will be able to go out and warm themselves up with that,” she says.

People are encouraged to dress up for the event, and the galleries will have red, magenta, and pink KN95 masks available in kids and adult sizes to help keep it festive.

Check out this year’s installment of The Sweetest Little Thing jingle, created by Caged Animals:

There will be music and dancing, but the traditional cake walk is replaced with a raffle for a cake donated by the Cranewood Bakery. “The other change is that this year all the bidding will be online,” says Falvey. “So folks need to bring their devices.” People at home and in the gallery will be able to bid on the pieces, with the bidding closing at 10pm on February 14.

There’s 102 art works up for auction, and Falvey says they have been donated by local artists as well as artists who have participated in Owens and Struts programming. “A lot of the support comes from the region,” says Falvey, but also from artists across the country. There are also Mount Allison students who participate each year, says Falvey. “We invite the third year fine art students. So it’s a good mix of practices and works.”

“And, of course, it’s always small work,” says Falvey. “The whole premise of The Sweetest Little Thing is that these would be small works. And that’s to take the burden off of artists as well too, because it’s a lot to ask them to give up their work.”

The proceeds from the event are split evenly between Struts and the Owens, says Falvey. “And they go directly to programming. So that could be anything from education and outreach programs, to artist talks to exhibitions, all of those things.”

The Sweetest Little Thing auction exhibition is on now at the Owens. The party takes place Tuesday, February 14 at 7pm.