As some people may know, in February of 2023, an extraordinary meeting was held in Kaslo, the purpose of which was to either find a full slate of new board members or dissolve the society. As a result of that meeting a new board was formed and a revitalized arts council was born. The new board wishes to focus on arts & culture and have revised their mission statement to guide them forward.
“Art represents the heART of the community. The North Kootenay Lake Arts Council is dedicated to fostering culture in the region by focusing on the arts, with the goal of contributing to the vibrancy, well being and sustainability of the community as a whole, that is creative, diverse, accessible and inclusive.”
The NKL Arts Council plans to continue providing many of the successful initiatives that the previous group shepherded into existence; most noticeably the Kaslo Front Street Banners and Art in the Market. They will also continue their involvement with the CKCA granting process which allows local artists to apply for funding, and hold their annual fundraiser starting with The Salon of the Arts art exhibit (opening reception Jan 6, 2024) and The Salon of the Arts Performance Showcase & Silent Auction (Feb 3, 2024)
And with support from their members, and some successful grant writing, it is their goal to be able to offer the JVH student bursary again to graduates who are pursuing a career in the arts, and to participate in such events as Art Walk & the Regional Culture Crawl. And of course, they are open to suggestions and welcome new members, ideas and energy. Please contact nklarts@kaslo.org and/or follow them on Facebook for updates.
At their recent AGM they took a moment to honour past board members who went above and beyond keeping arts & culture alive in our region. Lifetime memberships and honorary ‘Angel of the Arts’ certificates were presented to Stephanie Judy, David Stewart and Philip Pedini. If you see them around town please give them a tip of your hat in appreciation for their years of service.
North Kootenay Lake Arts & Heritage Council