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For holiday gift shopping, Surrey’s ‘Heart to Home’ art market moves online

The annual event is usually held at SAGA’s gift shop at Bear Creek Park
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Non-medical face masks made by Rhonda Philips. (submitted photo)

The annual Heart to Home holiday art market organized by Surrey Art Gallery Association (SAGA) has shifted to an online platform this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Re-branded as “Heart to Home @Home” for 2020, the online gift shop is a place to find unique items made by Surrey-area artists.

“Now is the best time to support your local artists, and show friends and neighbours how easy it is to do your holiday shopping from home,” says a message posted to sagabc.com/gift-shop, to remain open until Dec. 22.

The annual market is usually held at SAGA’s gift shop, located at Surrey Arts Centre, Bear Creek Park.

The association is a non-profit society run by volunteers who support local artists and artisans who create original paintings, art prints, jewelry, pottery, woodwork, textile craft and more.

SAGA also has an art rental program where art can be purchased or rented with “try before you buy” terms.

Meantime, in the absence of an in-person trade show in Abbotsford this year, Surrey-based operators of the West Coast Christmas Show launched “e-Shops” as an online shopping portal for products made and sold by local artisans and business operators.

Event producer Heather Angeard, who said the Christmas show typically attracts 19,000 visitors each year, developed a web platform on westcoastchristmasshow.com.

• RELATED STORY: ‘B.C. Buy Local Week’ kicks off with urgent plea to holiday shoppers.

E-commerce is a key to Surrey Store to Door, launched last spring in response to the pandemic, as a place where Surrey-area residents can shop online from businesses close to home. The directory now involves 523 businesses, who register for free, and has attracted more than 36,200 shoppers to date.

Also, Surrey’s Downtown Business Association is part of an “Open With Care” campaign urging Surrey residents to shop locally this holiday season. The BIA’s website includes a Business Directory of 1,400 members, at downtownsurreybia.com.



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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