Summerside chalk art wins Guinness Record

With 423 colourful pictures in chalk last summer, the residents of Summerside, P.E.I., have earned a new Guinness World Record.

The 1.5 square meter paintings were drawn on the pavement outside the Harbourfront Theatre last July, as part of the city's annual Arts in Motion, Chautauqua event.

Lori Ellis, manager of heritage and culture properties with Wyatt Heritage Properties, a non-profit that wants to increase people's understanding of art, said the record was an "amazing display of community spirit."

• Chalk artists wanted to help break world record

"Citizens ofall ages committed to the development of the art project, some enduring rain and shine," she wrote in an e-mailed statement.

Ellis said the non-profit always wanted to create a mile-long art exhibition as part of the annual festival but it never happened. But in 2015, while planning the next event, she decided to do some research.

"And I found myself wondering how long is the longest art exhibition?"

Ellis said she came across the competition for "largest display of chalk pavement art" while researching Guinness World Records, andthought it madean excellent fit for the community.

The previous recordwas held by the city of Gresham, Oregon, with356 paintings.

Ellis said she contacted that city and they were "very forthcoming about how they created their record and gave us advice."

In cooperation with the city, the non-profit asked residents to help out with the paintings. Artists from the community also volunteered to create small floral designs on the pavement for inspiration.

And while the first grids were washed away by a sudden rain shower, people continued to work on the project, she said.

"There wasn't one negative comment, despite being rained on at the onset of the project," she said.

Ellis said she's not sure how long the city will hold its record, with so many communities competing every year.

But residents should be very proud of what they achieved, she said.

"There was a real sense of togetherness," she said.

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