Music. Birds. Trains. Murals. No matter what you’re keen on, there may be a festival or event in the Kootenays that focuses on just that.
Our 2023 Kootenay Festivals & Events Brochure pulls together over 30 amazing options when it comes to getting out and about to celebrate arts, culture and heritage in the region.
Take a look, select your favourites and mark them on your calendar!
Also make sure to keep track of what’s going on with our online events listing.
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.
Laura White, Board President
From Krestova and recently retired, Laura White is President of the WKRAC board and supports the CKCA steering committee.
WKRAC: How did you come to call the Kootenays home?
LW: It was mostly economic; thirty years ago, we were able to purchase our house in the West Kootenay for $20,000, which was only a down payment for a house in the Vancouver area we came from.
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 a creative journal practice and I design, teach and make jewellery.
Why did you wish to join this board/committee?
I joined the WKRAC board to be involved at a regional level. (I have also been an executive board member of a local community arts council and provincial arts organizations.)
I joined the CKCA committee as the opportunity to grant money to creative individuals and arts organizations (through funding from Columbia Basin Trust) is amazing!
What do you think people in the region should be proud of in terms of arts, culture and heritage?
They should be proud that there is a tremendous amount of work being produced and presented, despite being a region of small, rural, isolated communities.
What advice do you have for people in the region pursuing a career in arts, culture and heritage?
I’m hesitant to give advice because everyone’s situation is different. In general, it is still difficult to make a living solely from creative work at the beginning, so my advice would be to keep doing what you love but also learn how to approach creative work as a business professional. For example, if you are selling work, you need to keep financial records. If you can’t learn to do it yourself, then you need to hire someone to do it. Making a living from creative work means knowing where the money is coming from and where it is going.
What vision do you see for the future of arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays?
I see a more inclusive and accessible community that is able to incorporate local and regional concerns and opportunities into the work they do.
We have a new strategic plan!
In 2022, we consulted with the arts, culture and heritage community through an online survey and one-on-one interviews. Thank you to everyone who participated! Our board and staff also provided their input—and our consultant neatly wrapped all feedback into a well-thought-out plan that will guide us from 2023 to 2026.
Our vision is to see the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council act as a catalyst to build capacity in the creative ecology so that arts, culture and heritage thrive throughout the region. We do this by assisting those involved in arts, culture and heritage so they can carry out their activities more effectively through support like training, consultation and communication about resources available throughout the region and province.
Our ambitions are as follows:
We will embody the values of:
We’re so excited about this news that we wanted to share it with you!
The Province is providing $30 million to support B.C.-based events. Through the B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events fund, the government is providing one-time grants in response to challenges the sector is facing, such as loss of staffing and volunteers, supply-chain issues and a cautious return of audiences. Events between April 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2024, are eligible.
The deadline is March 3, 2023, so submit your application ASAP!
To stay on top of the latest news about arts, culture and heritage in the Kootenays, join us on social media!
You may already track our work through our monthly newsletter (and if you don’t, sign up here). To discover even more about the resources available to individuals and organizations involved in the regional arts, culture and heritage sector, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, too.
Through these accounts, you’ll get timely posts about the opportunities we offer, whether they involve Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance grants, ARTiculate magazine or workshops for arts professionals—with reminders so you don’t miss any deadlines! Heading into summer, we’ll also be posting daily profiles of the fascinating venues you can visit during the Columbia Basin Culture Tour.
In addition, we share important information from organizations throughout the region, province and country, about relevant grants, workshops, toolkits, conferences, applications to get involved in events, and more. Our aim is to help you carry out your arts, culture and heritage activities more effectively.
So get the news as it happens. Follow us now!
The brochure provides affordable advertising for your festival, community or online event, exhibition, concert, workshop, film series and more! Events taking place from May 2023 to April 2024 are eligible for inclusion.
Why advertise in the Kootenay Festivals & Events Brochure? Every year, 12,000 copies are distributed throughout southeastern BC. The brochure is mailed to hundreds of public outlets, including chambers of commerce, hotels, resorts, festivals, cafés, bookstores, galleries, theatres and arts venues around the Kootenays and Columbia Basin, as well as to tourist info centres from the Okanagan to the Rockies.
NEW PRICING FOR 2023! Purchase your listing by February 27 and receive our early bird pricing of $52 (regular $60: deadline March 10).
All submitted listings receive cross-posting to the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council listings page and ARTiculate magazine event listings. For summer events, purchase your listing by the early bird deadline for inclusion in the Spring/Summer 2023 print issue of ARTiculate.
View the 2022 Festivals & Events Brochure.
The Kootenay Festivals & Events Brochure is a project of the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council and supported by the Province of BC.
In the coming months, Columbia Basin Trust will be travelling throughout the Columbia Basin to meet with you, listen to your input and plan together for the future. If you value the work of local artists, we encourage you to participate and speak up about the central role of arts and culture in our region!
The Trust was established in 1995 to support efforts by the people of the Basin to create a legacy of social, economic and environmental well-being in the region. Its activities are guided by the Columbia Basin Management Plan, developed based on public input from residents.
It is now inviting you to share your perspective on how everyone together can realize a better future for the region. Your input will help the Trust develop the next Columbia Basin Management Plan.
At the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council, we will be sharing tools and materials to help you champion arts and culture throughout this process. To keep up to date on these, follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
In the meantime, learn more about upcoming events in Basin communities, as well as opportunities to engage online, at ourtrust.org/future, and sign up for the Our Trust Our Future newsletter.
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
Each year, the public is invited to explore and enjoy studios, galleries, museums, events and more through the free, self-directed Columbia Basin Culture Tour. We invite you to become one of their essential stops!
This year, the tour takes place:
Register now if you’re an artist, or an organization or venue focused on arts, culture and heritage, anywhere in the Columbia Basin. By having people visit your location and appearing in the tour’s brochure and website, you’ll expand the reach of your cultural practice—and, if applicable, may make some sales!
Space is limited, so don’t delay.
For more information, contact [email protected] or 250-352-2421.
Spring will (soon) be in the air—and so will our spring/summer issue of ARTiculate magazine. We need two things from you:
1: Your content ideas
Send us your pitches:
• by Monday, February 6, 2023 (deadline extended!)
• 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 April 2023 and covers events through September 2023, so take that into consideration when submitting your ideas.
2: Your events listings
ARTiculate includes listings of local events; this issue will cover items from April to September 2023. To have your event considered for publication, submit it for free by Friday, February 17, 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.
People and organizations in the Columbia Basin that would like to pursue arts and culture projects are invited to apply for grants from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA). The application period is now open, with deadlines on March 3 or 10, 2023, depending on the program.
CKCA grants—funded by Columbia Basin Trust and overseen by the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council—are available for all art disciplines, for both individuals and arts and culture organizations in the Basin.
To learn more, visit www.wkartscouncil.com/ckca-funding. Before applying, applicants are encouraged to view the video on this site and register for a grant-writing workshop. Also note that applications for ALL programs are now submitted online.
Stephanie Fischer, Chair, CKCA
“Year after year, I have been impressed by the variety of projects for which applicants seek funding. I encourage artists to apply to CKCA to advance their careers and create new works. I encourage Columbia Basin non-profit organizations, small and large, to apply. They are the anchor and the driver for exhibiting artworks, showcasing live performers on stage, celebrating diversity and Indigenous culture and employing artists to engage people of all ages and abilities. Together they add to the livability, economy and health of communities in the Basin.”
Justine Cohen, Manager, Delivery of Benefits, Columbia Basin Trust
“The Trust is pleased to partner with CKCA to support, grow and strengthen arts and culture in Basin communities. Increasing access to arts and culture experiences in the Basin adds to the vibrancy and well-being of the region.”
