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Gallery AGM focusses on very positive year

Kootenay Gallery Annual General Meeting heard very positive reviews of the past year

Those who attended the recent Kootenay Gallery Annual General Meeting heard very positive reviews of the past year.

By all accounts it was a year filled with workshops, special events and exhibitions that support artist who live and work in the Columbia Basin.

Kootenay Gallery is benefiting from being part of a community that recognizes that arts and culture are important components of a healthy, vibrant community.

The gallery works with other organizations such  as the Castlegar Arts Council and Advisory Council, the City of Castlegar and the Regional District with the Recreation/Cultural Programmer Audrey Polovnikoff, the Columbia Basin Trust, the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, Sculpturewalk and several businesses all recognizing the economic, social and cultural benefits that come from promoting arts and culture.

The City of Castlegar was acknowledged for its continued support of this facility as well as other cultural organizations in the community.

Through access to funding resources provided by the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) through the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance and Castlegar Arts Council, the gallery is able to apply for funds to support exhibitions and special projects which would otherwise not be possible.

Operational funding support is received from the Provincial Government through the B.C. Arts Council and the Direct Access Gaming Grant.

The popular Sunday Concert Series, organized by music director Nicola Everton, is made possible from funding received from TD Canada Trust, CBT Community Initiatives, and the Castlegar Arts Council.  An established exhibition sponsorship program is supported by Kootenay Savings Credit Union, Zellstoff Celgar and Columbia Power Corporation.

Teck Metals and Pinnacle Professional Accounting provided funding for the successful kids art camps held during school breaks.

Yule Anderson Chartered Accountants provides an annual financial review and ongoing professional advice.

The dedicated band of volunteers was also thanked for their help in all aspects of running the gallery.

Val Field, Executive Director, is anticipating another great year ahead with additions of Linda Miller and Maggie Shirley to the board, as well as new computer systems in place for the gift shop and the development of the facility relocation initiative.

 

“I firmly believe we are on the right track and moving in a very exciting direction for the gallery, our membership, our patrons and our community,” said Board Chair Audrey Maxwell Polovnikoff in her AGM report.