In early August 2023, the British Columbia government received recommendations for its next provincial budget, including how it should approach arts and culture. Thank you to all the Kootenay-based arts and culture organizations that took part!

The Province’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released the report after holding a public consultation on the provincial budget, which included hearing 375 presentations and receiving 387 written submissions, including those from our own region.

At the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council, we were eager to take part. Advocacy like this is essential as we strive to support a thriving arts, culture and heritage sector and act as a catalyst to build capacity throughout the creative ecology.

Overall, the committee heard the need for increased funding to the BC Arts Council, additional investment in rural arts, and support for the arts to further Indigenous reconciliation.

Here are a few of the thoughts submitted by us and other Kootenay organizations:

• West Kootenay Regional Arts Council: Funding for Indigenous arts, culture and heritage must be sustainable and reflect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
• Capitol Theatre Restoration Society: The arts have a significant economic impact by stimulating tourism, attracting investment and generating employment opportunities.
• Key City Theatre: Eligibility for funding should be expanded, and funds increased to allow more arts and culture organizations to access funding.
• Capitol Theatre Restoration Society and Key City Theatre: Stable operating funding for rural cultural and arts organizations is vital to fulfill BC’s mandate toward truth and reconciliation, as it enables outreach and engagement efforts to build relationships with Indigenous peoples, supports collaboration on Indigenous-led projects, and facilitates the development of relevant programming in collaboration with Indigenous communities.
• Nelson and District Arts Council: There should be increased funding for the BC Arts Council, and rural artists and arts organizations need more opportunities to access this funding.
• Revelstoke Heritage Railway Society: Museums play multiple roles: as a core element of the educational system, a support for truth and reconciliation, a place for families to connect and enjoy themselves, and a key element in tourism infrastructure.

Read the full report here, with arts and culture appearing on page 19.

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2023 Columbia Basin Culture Tour! With over 110 venues, the weekend was a great success. We appreciate everyone who took part in enjoying and supporting arts, culture and heritage in the region.

To make the tour even better in future years, we’d love your feedback. If you’re a member of the public who visited one or more venues during the tour, please complete our short survey. You could win a $100 gift certificate to Cowan’s office and art supply store!

(Note: If you were a venue, we’ve sent you an email for a survey specifically tailored to you!)

The deadline to submit the survey is 11 p.m. Pacific / 12 p.m. Mountain on August 31, 2023.

We appreciate your feedback!

THIS SURVEY IS CLOSED.

From Métis jewellery to weaved portraits, and tango dance to burlesque, artists and organizations around the Columbia Basin are undertaking exciting projects that add colour, energy and vitality to this region.

Now, 110 new arts and culture projects are receiving more than $506,000 in funding from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) in 2023/24. The CKCA is a project of the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council and distributes funding on behalf of Columbia Basin Trust. See all the projects here.

One of the recipients is Claire Dibble, a Golden-based photographer, writer and artist whose work spans various mediums. She is expanding her knowledge of making murals by obtaining mentorship from local mural artists and painting two small murals in her community.

“I really love the way art in public locations can provide an unexpected delight to viewers who aren’t specifically seeking an art experience,” she says. “I am often daydreaming about painting on walls around Golden, and am pleased to move to actual painting. While the current murals are small, I hope that the long-term result will be some quality murals in even more visible locations in the future.”

Another recipient is the Revelstoke Arts Council, which is forming a unique partnership with the Revelstoke Railway Museum. Together, they will be presenting REVY.Tracks, a series of concerts that will take place in the museum in 2024, featuring a diverse range of musical and cultural styles. Some of the artists will also hold workshops for the public.

“These events will be more than just a musical experience; by showcasing different cultures, they will focus on music’s role in removing cultural barriers,” says Daniel Bhattacharya, Artistic and Executive Director of Revelstoke Arts Council. “The museum is committed to the process of inclusion and decolonization, and this series will help it and the whole of Revelstoke undertake this journey—all while opening up a new venue for these artists’ works and reimagining the concept of performance spaces.”

CKCA funding is available to both individuals and arts and culture organizations. All arts disciplines are eligible (including visual art, theatre, music, dance, media, literary and inter-arts), as are cultural projects like traditional cultural practices and preserving languages. Separate granting streams target different focuses, such as individual and group projects, master classes, touring and major exhibition projects. Overall, the goal is to help artists and arts and culture organizations be resilient and thriving.

Learn more here.

---

Stephanie Fischer, Chair, CKCA

“I would like to express my profound admiration for the multitude of wide-ranging projects that applicants seek funding for. The support provided by CKCA is truly invaluable, especially for emerging artists who aspire to realize significant endeavours. The numerous professional artists in our rural areas enrich the entire community with their creative contributions, and non-profit arts organizations hold an essential place in exhibiting art, staging performances and fostering creativity among people of all ages and abilities. This ongoing partnership with Columbia Basin Trust is deeply cherished, as it fosters the arts and plays a pivotal role in cultivating vibrant and livable communities across the Basin.”

Justine Cohen, Manager, Delivery of Benefits, Columbia Basin Trust

“These projects will continue to improve access to diverse arts and culture opportunities throughout the Columbia Basin. Congratulations to all 110 successful applicants; we look forward to seeing you enliven our communities through the arts.”

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays thrive. To do so, we rely on a dedicated team of board members, plus steering committee members who oversee the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) arts and culture grants.

Who are these people? In this series, we’re introducing you to the folks behind the scenes.

Vicky Jones, Board Member

Living in Rossland, Vicky Jones works in marketing and rentals at the Trail & District Arts Council and the Bailey Theatre in Trail. She is a member of the WKRAC board.

WKRAC: How did you come to call the Kootenays home?

VJ: I had been visiting the Kootenays pretty much every year since I moved to Canada from England in 2001 and always loved the area. We said we’d move if we ever got the chance. Then, in 2016, when my husband got made redundant, we found a house we could afford to buy in Rossland and made the move a year later.

Are you involved in arts, culture and heritage outside of your work with WKRAC/CKCA? If so, what is your discipline or practice?

I’m trying to be a fiction writer.

Why did you wish to join this board/committee?

I joined it to represent my area of the Kootenays and help support arts organizations and practitioners in the area.

What do you think people in the region should be proud of in terms of arts, culture and heritage?

The range. We have a great representation in all disciplines and affordably priced arts and culture events throughout the region, with greater representation and support for Indigenous and LGBTQ2SIA+ artists and others from diverse backgrounds. 

What advice do you have for people in the region pursuing a career in arts, culture and heritage?

Find your community. The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council can help to provide support, direction and advice, but your local arts councils and other arts organizations and individuals will also be excited to help you grow and get access to resources. Creating art and working in the arts thrives because people who work in this area support each other.

What vision do you see for the future of arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays?

I see the same great breadth of experiences and works, but with more ability for artists and organizations to thrive creatively and financially.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I’m excited about the future of arts and culture in the community, as after COVID more people moved from all over the country to the area since they were able to work from home. This gives us a broader and more diverse audience, who we can reach with our current works, to become volunteers and to help foster their own creativity.

Golden & District Arts Council, known as Kicking Horse Culture is seeking an Executive & Artistic Director to lead, manage and plan arts and cultural programs for the region. This is an exciting and unique opportunity for a creative professional who can bring together their vision, experience and passion for a wide range of artistic endeavours. Apply by September 1, 2023.

Learn more here.

Exhibition to focus on #basinfood packaging art

Show us your food-packaging art! In collaboration with the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council, the Basin Food & Buyer Expo (FABx) is putting out a unique call to artists, who are invited to submit their original creations made of food packaging, exploring the theme of food packaging, or offering food packaging designs.

FABx is an annual food industry expo in the Columbia Basin; the 2023 event will be held November 3 and 4 in Creston. Food packaging is a contentious subject always on the minds of food producers, who need to navigate the world of food safety and freshness and find a balance between sustainability and impact. Exploring this theme through art will add creative context and a thought-provoking exhibition to this important industry event.

A cash prize of $1,000 (or more!) will be awarded to the people’s choice in each of these categories:

1)    Art made with food packaging, or art that explores the theme or impact of food packaging.

2)    Food-packaging design concepts: printed graphic designs or mock-ups of food or beverage packaging, real or imagined.

Any medium is welcome, and artists must be residents of the Basin.

Register as soon as you can through this brief form. (Final artwork is due October 30).

See further details on how to participate here.

It may be the depths of summer—but it’s time to start thinking about the fall issue of ARTiculate magazine. We need two things from you:

1: Your content ideas

Send us your pitches:
•    by Wednesday, July 26, 2023
•    to Margaret Tessman, Editor, at [email protected]. 

We’ll assign the articles to writers, so don’t send completed stories, please. Just send a quick email with the who, what, when, where and why of your idea or news item, and who the contact person is. Also briefly explain why you think this story would be of interest to a broad range of readers.

We’re on the lookout for information about interesting people, timely happenings or community news, with a focus on the arts, culture and heritage of the East and West Kootenays and Columbia Basin. 

We’re also interested in tips on new releases of books, films and music to include in our “New and Noteworthy” review section.

The next issue will be distributed in early October 2023 and covers events through May 2024, so take that into consideration when submitting your ideas. 

2: Your events listings

ARTiculate includes listings of local arts, culture and heritage events; this issue will cover items from October 2023 to May 2024. To have your event considered for publication, submit it for free by Friday, August 11, 2023, to our online events calendar.

---

Advertising
Ask about our competitive rates to feature your business in this widely read publication, all while helping to support news focusing on our arts, culture and heritage community. ARTiculate is distributed to cultural venues like theatres, bookstores and galleries, as well as to hotels, cafés and many other high-traffic locations. Email to learn more: [email protected]. 

Writers
We are always on the lookout for writers to take on story assignments. Interested? Send us an expression of interest and a brief writing sample and we will reply with a copy of our editorial guidelines. Pssst: We pay our contributors!

---

NOTE: To continue receiving notifications about calls for ARTiculate content in the future, please make sure to sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays thrive. To do so, we rely on a dedicated team of board members, plus steering committee members who oversee the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) arts and culture grants.

Who are these people? In this series, we’re introducing you to the folks behind the scenes.

Peter Vogelaar, Board Vice-President

Living in Winlaw, Peter Vogelaar is Vice-President of the WKRAC board.

WKRAC: How did you come to call the Kootenays home?

PV: I moved to Winlaw in 1989 with my partner Lesley Mayfield after a 12-year stint up in Fort St. John running my own sign business. Lesley had found a lovely spot in the Slocan Valley and I was happy to come and settle in. It was a bonus, as I had some previous connections to Nelson, having attended the Kootenay School of the Arts from 1972 to 1976.

Are you involved in arts, culture and heritage outside of your work with WKRAC/CKCA? If so, what is your discipline or practice?

Not long after we got here, I heard about a snow-sculpture contest on the CBC—the lure of a trip to Quebec for the winner had me hooked. Little did I know that I was off on a new career, applying my art-school sculpture training to all manner of ephemeral media. I am one of a group of sand, snow and ice sculptors from this region, and happy to have helped some of my old friends from art school get into it.

Why did you wish to join this board/committee?

I had been involved with the arts council in Fort St. John and got right into it in the Valley. When Columbia Basin Trust came along and created CKCA, I recognized that all the local arts councils needed to participate. Somewhere along there, I ended up on the WKRAC board.

What do you think people in the region should be proud of in terms of arts, culture and heritage?

I think we have a flourishing arts community here in the Kootenays, partially as a result of all those years of grads from the Kootenay School of the Arts putting down roots. It has also attracted artists from all over thanks to our beautiful landscapes. With the Castlegar Sculpturewalk, the successful mural fest in Nelson and the fantastic cultural events of Revelstoke, I think we have lots to be proud of.

What advice do you have for people in the region pursuing a career in arts, culture and heritage?

My advice to those who want to succeed as artists here is to be versatile—be open to opportunities whenever they present themselves. Network as much as you can. Take advantage of the grants that are available to us through CKCA. And volunteer!!

What vision do you see for the future of arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays?

I think we have lots of good momentum in support of arts, culture and heritage in this region—and having hired an energetic new executive director for WKRAC is only going to help things along. We still need to get more young people involved in arts councils and still need to encourage more people to take part in all the fine cultural events that surround us.

Takin’ care of business. As an artist or performer, whether you’re a newcomer or veteran, it’s not as easy as the old song says. It’s challenging to build a career that provides reliable paycheques while maintaining excellence and meaning in your medium. 

To help those who are developing careers in arts and culture, the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce has pulled together a how-to guide. Topics run the gamut from writing a business plan, to knowing your competition, to finding support through others.  

There’s also a list of 17 helpful contacts you can reach out to for funding or advice (including us and the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance grants that we manage). 

See the full guide here. 

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays thrive. To do so, we rely on a dedicated team of board members, plus steering committee members who oversee the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) arts and culture grants.

Who are these people? In this series, we’re introducing you to the folks behind the scenes.

Carol Palladino, Board Secretary

Retired from her position with Community Futures and living in Revelstoke, Carol Palladino is the Secretary and Past President of the WKRAC board.

WKRAC: How did you come to call the Kootenays home?

MP: I moved to Revelstoke in 1979 for work opportunities.

Are you involved in arts, culture and heritage outside of your work with WKRAC/CKCA? If so, what is your discipline or practice?

Yes, but not as a practising artist. My role has been in the volunteer sector, serving on boards that serve the arts. I have been a Director for Arts Revelstoke and the Revelstoke Visual Arts Society, and currently sit as Past President of Arts BC.

Why did you wish to join this board/committee?

I’ve been involved with WKRAC since the late 90s and was part of the original CKCA committee, and it’s been very satisfying to see the development of the sector. I just really want to live in a community that has arts that I can experience.

What do you think people in the region should be proud of in terms of arts, culture and heritage?

The creativity in the Columbia Basin and the Kootenays is truly amazing. We have individuals practising all types of arts, many at a very high level with national and international recognition.

What advice do you have for people in the region pursuing a career in arts, culture and heritage?

Connect! There are many in-person and online opportunities to connect with peers and with programs that will support your work. Follow WKRAC and Arts BC social media to ensure that you are up to date with granting programs and professional development conversations and workshops.

What vision do you see for the future of arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays?

It’s a growth sector. I believe that creative individuals are finding that they are welcome in Kootenay communities, and they bring the skills and vision to make our communities vibrant and responsive to all types of future challenges.

Anything else you’d like to add?

My wish and hope is that more of our local governing bodies and administrations really begin to understand the true value of the arts and what they contribute to healthy and resilient communities, and make a commitment to support the work.