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An Ongoing Series of Free Lectures and Presentations that Celebrate the Creative Okanagan

Okanagan Institute

5pm Thursdays
at the Bohemian Café

Click here for schedule
and information.

Arts Council of the Central Okanagan is a resource centre and advocate for the arts in Kelowna and Central Okanagan. Find us at:
100-1690 Water Street,
Kelowna, BC V1Y 8T8
Phone: 250.861.4123
Fax: 250.861.4155
Email: Click here

Our Special Mug!
The perfect accent for home and office. And practical too.
Get Yours Now!

Situated on Okanagan Lake and surrounded by vineyards and orchards, Kelowna and the Central Okanagan have a myriad of outdoor and cultural activities to explore year-round. For more information, click here.

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ť The early days of the Arts Council were documented in 1967 by the Daily Courier.
Read all about it.

Join the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan today and you will:
ť Meet people who are involved in our arts community, and stay informed.
ť Become eligible for group member grants.
ť Have a worthy advocate to protect your artistic and cultural rights.
ť Be able to join ARTSCO's special projects.
Click here to apply.

Arts Council of the Central Okanagan

Financial support for ARTSCO is provided in part by:

Regional District of the Central Okanagan

Support Our Valued Sponsors:

This website is copyright:

About ARTSCO

Originally founded in 1953 and officially incorporated in 1966, the Arts Council, then the Kelowna and District Arts Council, soon became recognized as the most culturally active organization in the area.

The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan has helped incubate several successful artists and art organizations in the region along with other major contributions to the Community, such as :

Working to save the Laurel and the Growers' building for the community

Lobbying to have the Arts included in the school curriculum

Lobbying successfully to have the Arts included in the Official Community Plan

Working to establish the Arts Development Officer for the City of Kelowna with the belief that cultural tourism would benefit the entire community

PRESENT GROWTH
The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan continues to grow in membership. The increase of long-term memberships (2 and 3 yrs) is a testimony of the vote of confidence of the community in the organization.

The full-color high-quality magazine, Okanagan ARTS , launched by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, is one of the greatest accomplishments of the organization. With a distribution of 15,000 per quarter and an increasing public interest the magazine has a bright and prosperous future.

The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan continues to improve and develop new marketing tools, such as two interactive websites: www.artsco.ca & www.okanaganarts.com, e-news, and the high-end print edition of the Okanagan ARTS magazine.

The revenues of the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan increased from $50,458 in 2006 to $75,127 in 2007 as a result of increased confidence of the Arts Council's sponsors and the community in general.

FUTURE DIRECTION
The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan is committed to increase its contribution to the community in the forms of financial support and programming with the goals of nurturing education in the arts and economic development, and also to honour outstanding artistic achievements in the community.

The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan will grow further to become more representative of the region and a stronger advocate for further development in the arts, education, and the economic growth of our communities.

MISSION
In order to enrich the cultural life in our community, the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan has undertaken the mission to support, strengthen, and promote all art disciplines and traditions and encourage education in and appreciation of all aspects of the arts.

VISION
That all disciplines and traditions of arts, culture and heritage be made available and accessible for all to experience and enjoy.

STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

To act as an arts resource, providing artists and the community with linkage, information, and access to local, regional, national, and international arts resources and communities

To cultivate, support, and promote local cultural and artistic activities

To encourage strategic partnerships among our member groups

To support, encourage, and acknowledge young and emerging artists

To foster the development and strengthening of cultural policy

To voice to all levels of government the needs and concerns of the arts in the region

To provide community recognition for creativity and arts excellence

To increase the understanding of Arts Council's role and its value to the Central Okanagan's community

THE ARTS COUNCIL IS ALSO COMMITTED TO

Nurture emerging creative expression within the community

Facilitate established member groups to achieve financial independence

Stimulate and encourage community arts projects and activities

Educate the community to understand that appreciation and respect for creative diversity promotes healthy and harmonious social growth

Encourage individuals, groups, and government to adopt cultural responsibility for supporting our community's artists

Foster pride in the arts heritage of the region.

CHALLENGES

Broadening the expectations of the role of the Arts Council in the Central Okanagan

Increasing partnerships and membership in the short and long-term

Expanding resource and marketing techniques

Continued financial restraints

Increasing and more aggressive competition in the cultural sector

To download our 2007 Annual Report, click here.
For a brief Profile of the Arts Council, click here.

2007-2008 Board of Directors and Staff

The Arts Council's Board of Directors is made up of key community arts organizations, artists, arts educators and professionals that have the skills, the community support, the know how, and the committment to take action as required to keep pace with the growth of the arts in our community and to enhance Arts Council's position in the areas of arts advocacy and education.

Executive Directors:
ť President: Helve Raun Ranniste, Paralegal, Porter Ramsey
ť Past President: Nona Kucher, Kelowna Museums, Human Resources and Executive Services Administrator
ť 1st Vice President: Corrine Zawaduk, Production Manager, CAZ Productions
ť 2nd Vice President: Dr. Sharon McCoubrey, Professor, University of British Columbia
ť Treasurer: Linda Howika, Accounting Manager, Community Futures, Okanagan
ť Secretary: Tim Watson, President, Watson Arts & Cultural Services
ť 2nd Secretary Stephanie Loo de Nevers, Marketing Consultant

Directors:
ť Rosemarie Greedy, Professional Artist
ť Beverly Rein, Professional Artist
ť Julia Trops, Professional Artist
ť Steven Dvorak

Management Team:
ť Elke Lange, Executive Director
ť Wendy McCracken, Coordinator
ť Henk deRoos, Bookkeeper
ť Robert MacDonald, Publisher Editor Designer

For more information about the Board and Management Team, click here.

For our Privacy Policiy, click here.

Arts Council of the Central Okanagan

100-1690 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8T8
Telephone: 250.861.4123 | Fax: 250.861.4155 | Email: Click here

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