The Grey-Bruce area of southern Ontario is home to hundreds of artists, a fact little known outside the area. Attracted by the rugged but pastoral beauty of the escarpment region and the company of other artists, the numbers grow each year. In the summer of 1994, a large group of area artists got together an identified a need to have a gallery/retail space of their own. It was a highly diverse group, with a broad range of skills. They wanted an outlet for their work in which they would have control of the finances, display and promotion. The group as a whole had a great deal of experience with running businesses and as artists they had lots of ideas about display. On September 20, 1994 the Owen Sound Artists’ Co-operative was incorporated and officially launched.