The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin 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.

Sharon Stearns, CKCA Steering Committee Member

Valemount resident Sharon Stearns is the artistic producer of Wishbone Theatre Productions.

WKRAC: How did you come to call the Columbia Basin home?

SS: Aside from being drawn to the natural beauty of the land, and wanting to live in a place where it felt like nature was still bigger than humans, I have enjoyed 25 years of teaching theatre and music programs in the local schools. This evolved into creating my theatre company, Wishbone Productions.

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

I am a theatre artist and artistic producer of Wishbone Theatre Productions, a company based in the Robson Valley community of Valemount. We produce original theatre and music pieces and play to local audiences, as well as tour our shows further afield. I am predominantly a playwright, although I also act and direct, and have worked with theatre companies across Canada over my 40-year career. I also teach theatre both privately and within the public school system.

Why did you wish to join this board/committee?

Wishbone Theatre has received funding support from CKCA for many of our shows over the 17 years I have been based in Valemount. This has helped me build a solid core ensemble of theatre artists and a dedicated audience. Being a part of the board gives me an opportunity to show my appreciation. I am also able to increase my awareness and understanding of all the exciting art disciplines spread throughout the Columbia Basin and offer my voice of support.

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

A strong, vibrant arts and cultural sector contributes so much to the vitality of communities, and sense of connection to communities.

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

If you are passionate about your arts discipline, use this passion to fuel your commitment and dedication to your craft. Any creative endeavour involves vulnerability. Going out on a creative limb is hard, going further can be harder, and the payoff is always worth it, especially when it develops and hones your skills.

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

My vision includes a community where artists and art are valued, and their creative work is supported and sustainable.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Arts-based education and community recognition of its importance is an essential component to fostering a thriving arts and culture community.

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council is prepping to go on the road! Sign up below to indicate your attendance.

Every so often, we get the itch to abandon the Zoom calls and make some good, old-fashioned, face-to-face connections.

That’s why Kallee Lins, our Executive Director, and Lily Andersen, our Grants Officer and Operations Manager, are heading in mid-September 2025 to a few communities we don’t often get to visit in person.

Cranbrook, Fernie, Invermere and Golden—this means you!

We want to meet the folks involved in arts, culture and heritage in these locations (and surrounding areas). We’ll learn about you and your needs, while you’ll learn more about:

• grants you could apply for from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance
• WKRAC programs you could participate in, like Articulate magazine and the Columbia Basin Culture Tour
• the broader ways we help people like you carry out your arts, culture and heritage activities more effectively.

The get-togethers will be casual, but we ask you to RSVP to help us plan appropriately. Click the link for your location:

• CRANBROOK: REGISTER HERE
  • Monday, September 15, 2025
  • 4 p.m.
  • Key City Theatre, 20 14 Ave. N., Cranbrook
  • This event is graciously co-hosted by Key City Theatre.
• FERNIE: REGISTER HERE
  • Tuesday, September 16, 2025
  • 4 p.m.
  • Fernie Arts Station, 601 1 Ave., Fernie
  • This event is graciously co-hosted by the Fernie Arts Station.
• INVERMERE: REGISTER HERE
  • Wednesday, September 17, 2025
  • 12:30 p.m.
  • Pynelogs Arts & Cultural Centre, 1720 4 Ave., Invermere
  • This event is graciously co-hosted by Columbia Valley Arts.
• GOLDEN: REGISTER HERE
  • Wednesday, September 17, 2025
  • 5:30 p.m.
  • Art Gallery of Golden, 516 9 Ave. N., Golden
  • This event is graciously co-hosted by Kicking Horse Culture.

Please register by Thursday, September 11, 2025.

We hope to see you there!

ATTEND OUR AGM—AND ENJOY A GREAT NEW REASON TO BECOME A MEMBER!

Becoming a member of the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council and attending our annual general meeting is always useful and interesting. But this year, we’ve added a unique reason for organizations to become a member: the new Basin ArtSafe initiative.

Launching in November 2025, Basin ArtSafe aims to enhance workplace safety for cultural producers in the Columbia Basin, while supporting cultural sector employers in meeting WorkSafeBC requirements. Learn more here, attend our AGM for even more details, and plan to take advantage by signing up your organization as a member or renewing its membership if you haven’t already.

Individuals are welcome to become WKRAC members, too!

Attend our AGM

Join us as we reflect on WKRAC’s past year:

• Thursday, October 16, 2025
• noon Pacific / 1 p.m. Mountain
• online through Zoom.

You’ll hear from Maggie Shirley and Nate Gerber, who will provide updates on their exploration of digital needs within the cultural sector.

In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to share your own efforts, voice your needs and seek advice on issues your organization may be facing. You’ll connect with other arts-focused people and organizations across the region to hear what they’re doing, learn from one another and exchange information and resources.

Members and non-members are welcome, with voting reserved for members. (Below, see how to become a member, plus view AGM voting details.)

RSVP to the AGM by Thursday, October 9, 2025.

CLICK HERE TO ATTEND THE AGM.

Not a member yet? Become one now!

As a member, you’ll be able to vote during the AGM and organizations will be able to access Basin ArtSafe. You’ll also be helping us deliver programming to amplify, celebrate and strengthen the cultural sector throughout the Columbia Basin. This includes valuable resources like these:

• Articulate magazine and Vibrant Basin podcast
• The annual Columbia Basin Culture Tour
• Our cultural events calendar with free listings
• A sector-wide Joint Health and Safety Committee
• Ongoing sector news and updates about arts policy and advocacy opportunities.

Plus, you’ll be helping us administer the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance granting programs, funded by Columbia Basin Trust, which provide direct financial support to artists and arts organizations in our region.

CLICK HERE TO PAY ONLINE

CLICK HERE TO PAY BY MAIL/CHEQUE

Thank you for your contribution to arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin!

AGM Voting

• Organization members: One representative from each member organization can vote on behalf of the organization.
• Individual members: Each member has one vote on their own behalf.
• Non-members wanting to attend the AGM are welcome, but not allowed to vote.

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin 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. We also have great employees!

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

Susan Bernhardt, WKRAC Bookkeeper

WKRAC: When did you join WKRAC, and why did working here appeal to you? 

SB: WKRAC was my first bookkeeping job when my family and I moved to the Kootenays in 2014. I love non-profit accounting, and it was a great fit as I started to learn about the Kootenays and call them home. 

What are the main things you do in your position? 

I’m in charge of the WKRAC finances which includes monitoring the day-to-day revenue and expenses, as well as managing the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance grant payments. 

How did you come to call the Columbia Basin home? 

My husband Kevin got a job in Nelson 11 years ago. At that time, I had to Google map Nelson to find it on a map – I had no idea where it was! We took a trip out here and fell in love with the place; we felt we could give our four kids a 1970’s childhood. At the time, I didn’t know what the Columbia Basin would offer my career in non-profit accounting. 

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

I have read that you need to have three types of hobbies in your life: one for your mind, one for your body, and one for your creativity.  I love to read for my mind. I love to hike and bike (especially here in the West Kootenays!) for my body.  Strangely, my creative outlet has become balance sheets and income statements. It gives me great joy to make them accessible and understandable to support the people I work with – it’s my palette! 

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

I love how arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin is so accessible and easy to find.  In larger cities where I lived, participating in arts & culture events would require long commutes into the city where arts and culture would happen.  Here in the Kootenays, it is easy to access theatre and art installations close by – and even heritage along hiking and bike trails! 

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

The Columbia Basin is such a unique place because people have chosen to pursue careers in arts, culture and heritage. Artists and traditional knowledge keepers hold an important role in our region through both their contributions to our economy and to the uniqueness of the culture of this area. 

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

The Columbia Basin covers a large area filled with diverse communities and people.  This is a unique position to hold. In a world full of polarization and division, I hope the people of the Columbia Basin continue to unite through active engagement in art and storytelling which fosters connection, understanding and shared identity. 

WKRAC is pleased to announce a new initiative aimed at enhancing workplace safety for cultural producers in the Columbia Basin, while supporting cultural sector employers in meeting WorkSafeBC requirements.

Launching in November 2025, WKRAC will host a Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) open to participation from member organizations. This shared committee model is designed to provide both employers and employees with:

• Access to safety skills training
• A formalized structure for meeting WorkSafeBC regulations
• Peer support to address health and safety challenges as they arise

Many arts and culture organizations in our region are small enough that they are not required to establish their own Joint Health & Safety Committee. This new shared model offers these organizations a valuable opportunity to access the benefits of a JHSC without the administrative burden of forming one independently. By participating in WKRAC’s committee, members can still benefit from a proactive, collaborative approach to workplace safety.

A JHSC plays a vital role in promoting a culture of safety. The committee brings together representatives from all levels of an organization to:

• Identify and address potential hazards
• Investigate incidents and recommend improvements
• Advise on safety policies and training programs
• Monitor compliance with occupational health and safety standards

Are you a WKRAC member?
Complete the intake form to request a seat on the Joint Health & Safety Committee.

Not a member yet? Register your organization today!

Since it launched over two decades ago, Articulate magazine has evolved from a newsprint version to a full-colour magazine, and recently, a new website!

We continue to produce an annual print issue available for free at your favourite local venue.

2026 print issue—submit your ideas now

Articulate magazine highlights the rich diversity of artists and arts, culture and heritage organizations in the Columbia Basin. To do that, we need your help!

Send us your pitches:

• by Wednesday, September 10, 2025
• 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 Basin. We’re also interested in tips on new releases of books, films and music. Browse recent stories online for a sense of editorial priorities.

The next issue will be distributed in December 2025 and covers events through to fall/winter 2026, so take that into consideration when submitting your ideas.

Note that, while the magazine previously included events listings, our online calendar continues to provide this function. Submit your events to our online calendar for distribution.

Request a copy
Get Articulate magazine mailed to your home or business—for free—by clicking here.

Advertising
Discover our competitive rates to feature your business in this widely read print 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 Canoe Journey in June 2025 is a powerful assertion of the belief that Indigenous peoples of the region are stewards of the river and the salmon—one of their first foods. This journey highlights the vital connection between their language, culture and the natural environment. Join the Sinixt paddlers as they make their way through Nelson. Public events include a community paddle across Kootenay Lake (June 16), keynote and poetry event (June 16), mural tour (June 16), Indigenous plant workshop (June 17), and a film screening of Dirt Relations (June 17).

Some of these events have limited capacity. Reserve your spot here.

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin 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. We also have great employees!

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

Kallee Lins, Executive Director

Based in Nelson, Kallee is celebrating her third anniversary at the helm of WKRAC.

WKRAC: When did you join WKRAC, and why did working here appeal to you?

KL: I started at WKRAC in June 2022. I was an avid dancer while growing up in the Kootenays, so as my experience in the cultural sector across Canada grew, I knew I wanted to play a role in strengthening the arts in my hometown and region. At the same time, my husband (born and raised in downtown Toronto) felt the pull of the mountains. When this job became available, it felt like the right moment to make the move (back) from Ontario to BC.

What are the main things you do in your position?

I love this post by E. Andrew Taylor that describes arts management as “the practice of aggregating and animating people, stuff, and money toward expressive ends.” As ED, I’m the person responsible for ensuring this happens in alignment with WKRAC’s strategic plan.

In practice, I spend a lot of time in dialogue with WKRAC’s funders, partners, and our board of directors. I write most of our grant applications, and oversee program design and delivery across both our flagship programs (CKCA, Articulate, Culture Tour), and strategic initiatives that vary from year to year. In a small organization like ours, I have to quickly toggle between high-level planning and business development, and more immediate tasks like website updates, managing mailing lists, building registration forms and more!

I’m also deeply passionate about arts advocacy and I do what I can to support communities across the Columbia Basin in making the case for greater investment in arts and culture.

How did you come to call the Columbia Basin home?

I’m a proud Castlegarian. It was wonderful to grow up in Castlegar. I’m glad I took the opportunity to study and work in other provinces, specifically Quebec and Ontario, but it’s great to be back in beautiful British Columbia. I truly love big cities, but I do not miss Toronto’s humidity!

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

I’ve always been a dancer. Until 2019, I was active on and off in contemporary dance collectives that gave me the chance to train, perform and choreograph. I dipped my toe into tango when I moved to Nelson, which I unexpectedly loved. I’m looking forward to getting back to contemporary dance this summer.

I also love serving other arts organizations through board work. I’m the board president for the Dance West Network and an inaugural board member for the Black & Rural Arts and Culture Society, supporting the fantastic work of Shayna Jones. I also try to stay connected to cultural conversations across the country; that was a big impetus for starting my weekly Substack Culturally Radical.

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

It’s rare to find such a wide range of aesthetics in one place. For art-goers, there is something for everyone, and there are so many opportunities to try out and practice a new art form in a welcoming environment.   

I encourage everyone who loves the arts to speak constantly about the benefits the arts bring to communities. From an economic perspective alone, our sector is a major employer. One in every 27 workers in the Columbia Basin has a cultural job. Nationally, the contribution of culture to GDP ($73 billion) is on par with the oil and gas sector ($71 billion) and far outstrips the combined GDP of agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting ($41 billion) according to comparisons by Hill Strategies based on 2022 Statistics Canada data. Let’s own our power!

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

There is always room for your unique thing. Don’t wait for public funding or validation from other “official” bodies to start testing your ideas and sharing them. I love to see works-in-progress and experimental pieces. Don’t get bogged down by what seems like the “right” way to create.

If you’re interested in management stuff, join a board! You’ll meet great people and learn so much about the ins and outs of nonprofits. I know how to do the work of an ED because I joined boards early in my career where I had the pleasure to learn from some of the best cultural managers and programmers in the country. (And if you already sit on a board, please invite youth to the table.)

Don’t be afraid to ask someone if they’d like to grab a coffee and talk about their work. Professionals in this space love what they do. Ask us about it. 😊

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

I see broad recognition of the value the arts bring to communities. I see the cultural sector being recognized as the economic and social development driver that it is, and I see consideration of the sector being woven through every municipal planning process across the region.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

When I look at who is leading conversations about climate change, inequality, discrimination and more, artists are always at the table. We need creativity and the arts more than ever, yet there has also never been a harder time to be an artist. We have the data about how financially challenging it is to work in the arts in this region. If the arts are important to you, speak up. Tell your local, provincial and federal representatives, and anyone who will listen, that investments in the arts benefit all of us.

An invitation from Heritage BC:

This year, Heritage BC invites you to be part of something different: the 2025 Heritage BC Conference: Me7 Elkstwéwc-kt — Working Together, taking place May 22 and 23 in Tk̓emlúps (Kamloops).

Me7 Elkstwéwc-kt means “we are working together” in Secwépemctsín—a reminder that meaningful heritage work doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s built in relationships, through respect and in shared responsibility.

This gathering marks a continuation of the intentional shift we (Heritage BC) began last year—a move away from a traditional, presentation-style conference format to a more collaborative, place-based approach that is grounded in community. It isn’t just a change in style; it’s a reflection of deeper values and a growing recognition that our sector’s most pressing questions—about sustainability, reconciliation and inclusivity—can’t be answered from a distance. They require us to be present, to listen deeply and to learn in place.

We’re hosting the 2025 conference in partnership with the Kamloops Museum and Archives and Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park, two institutions whose work reflects what it means to care for their community through heritage. Tk̓emlúps (Kamloops) was chosen not only for its accessibility and natural beauty, but because of the layered histories and relationships it holds—between people, across time and in conversation with the land. As a site of cultural continuity, memory and both colonial harm and Indigenous resurgence, it offers a meaningful space to explore this year’s central theme: Me7 Elkstwéwc-kt — Working Together. By spending time on these lands and learning from local leaders, Elders and practitioners, we are invited into a different kind of heritage conference—one that’s participatory, respectful and centered in truth-telling and collaboration.

What does this mean for you as a heritage professional, educator, community organizer or institutional leader? It means stepping into a learning environment designed not only to inform, but to transform. Over two days, you’ll gain practical tools for co-creating heritage projects with community, strategies for deepening relationships between institutions and Indigenous partners, and ideas for reimagining how heritage work can be more sustainable and inclusive. Whether you’re coming from a museum, archives, local government or grassroots initiative, this conference offers a space to reflect, re-energize and reimagine what’s possible when we work together. You’ll leave with tangible examples, renewed partnerships and inspiration for how to shift practice in your own context—wherever that may be in the province.

Expect to:

• learn how local communities are reclaiming their histories through collaborative partnerships, with sessions led by those doing the work on the ground
• explore how emerging leaders and experienced professionals can support one another through inclusive, intergenerational dialogue and skill-building
• participate in tours and workshops that ground heritage practice in land, community and lived experience—including opportunities to engage with both settler and Secwépemc perspectives
• centre Indigenous voices in conversations about heritage conservation, truth-telling and the future of our shared histories
• build lasting relationships through shared meals, evening gatherings and facilitated opportunities for collaboration.

We hope to see you in Kamloops this May!

The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin 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. We also have great employees!

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

Maggie Shirley, Project Manager, Digital Services Transformation Project

Based in Castlegar, Maggie Shirley was instrumental in hosting our Kootenay Art Connect Conversations, and continues to work on a digital project to bring together those working in arts, culture and heritage in the region. She also works as the Project Coordinator for the Dementia Project based in the Trail Hospice. 

WKRAC: When did you join WKRAC, and why did working here appeal to you?

MS: I first joined WKRAC in 2023 when we received a grant to do outreach work with the Columbia Basin arts sector. The grant finished, but as an outcome of that work we applied for a grant for the Digital Services Transformation Project. We were successful and so I’m back working with WKRAC.

What are the main things you do in your position?

With the Digital Services Transformation Project, I am working with consultant Nate Gerber and the leaders of six arts and culture organizations on a pilot project. We are working together to analyze the systems of each organization and to identify ways in which we can create digital or other solutions to improve ways of operation both individually and as a collective group. It is groundbreaking and exciting work.

How did you come to call the Columbia Basin home?

I first moved to Nelson in 1981 and attended David Thompson University Centre. I’ve moved away several times, including to Ireland for seven years, yet I have always returned. The West Kootenay is home for me.

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

I consider myself an artist. I am part of an arts group called Ten Thieves. I create theme-based work in a variety of media and methods, primarily three-dimensional work. At the moment, I’m experimenting with creating bioplastics and then creating objects combining the bioplastics with found objects harvested from the forest floor. I examine themes such as gender, the body, evolution and the natural world. Ten Thieves has an exhibition scheduled for the Langham Cultural Centre in 2026, so I hope you come see it.

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

I think we punch above our weight when it comes to the quality of our professional artists. There are folks living here who are exhibiting in galleries and spaces across Canada, in the States and in Europe, as well as in the Kootenays. CKCA grants have been an important source of support for these artists and for Columbia Basin galleries so they can show regional professional artists. I hope professional art continues to be valued, as it has in the past.

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

There’s an old cliché of a starving artist working alone in a garret. Aside from the dearth of garrets in the Kootenays, to be a thriving artist you need to build relationships and community with other artists, with curators and with local businesses that can support you. A lot of work can be done alone in the studio, but connecting to the larger community will enhance your practice in a multitude of ways.

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

I envision a healthy, thriving arts sector that is interconnected and working collaboratively to support arts and culture workers. I believe the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council can play an integral role in bringing this vision to reality. This is what the Digital Services Transformation Project is working toward.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

Although it not considered an essential service, arts and culture plays such a vital role in our society. It brings us together. It can get us talking about controversial ideas. It gives voice and visibility to non-dominant cultures. It lifts our spirits in difficult times. It is a binder that holds us together. Whatever happens, we need to support and celebrate our Columbia Basin culture and the people who create it.