Welcome to WAC
About 30 local artists and community members attended the
Whistler Arts Council’s annual general meeting, held at Nita Lake Lodge on
Wednesday, June 4.
WAC Executive Director, Doti Niedermayer, and Joan Richoz,
chair of the board, presented their 2007 annual report, outlining the full
financial statements for the fiscal year along with a three-page staff report
detailing the outcomes of all WAC programs and events held over the year.
Richoz commented that within the past five years, the board has
moved towards assuming a governance and strategic planning role, adding that
professional staff has taken over a lot of the hands-on duties. She also spoke
about a few new programs launched last year, including a new patron program
designed to engage the public with the local arts community, a renewed focus on
finding a new home for the WAC offices, and developing a community plan. Richoz
also remarked that the first artists forum, held at the Path Gallery a few
weeks ago, was remarkable, and will be turned into a regular event.
Niedermayer and other staff members also addressed the crowd at
the meeting, explaining their various roles and responsibilities within the
arts council.
Niedermayer said that while she used to focus on things like
grants and overall budgeting on top of events management, with the addition of
more full-time staff, she has been able to focus on creating partnerships and
on longer-term projects. Along with attending master planning meetings for the
2010 Games, Niedermayer has also been participating in a Whistler 2020 task
forces, and reviewing how the Millennium Place society and WAC can work
together in a more effective way to strengthen Whistler’s arts and culture
community.
Anne Popma, a contract worker for the Office of Community
Cultural Coordination (OCCC), said that community cultural development within
Whistler has taken on a new role over the past few years, and explained that
one of her role responsibilities is to deliver action items identified by
Whistler 2020. She has been working on a number of projects, including
organizing the Economic Impact Study that is currently underway throughout the
corridor, developing a new exhibit for the Whistler Museum, launching the new
Media Arts Club at Whistler Secondary, and organizing the “Inspired by Place”
outdoor dance performance that will be part of the 2010 Live Sites program.
Four new members were also appointed to the board at the
meeting: Leanna Rathkelly, Sharon Broatch, Mike Duggan and Linda Godin.
Richoz, Stephanie Matches and Laurie Vance were re-elected to
the board for another two-year term.
To find out more about what the Arts Council has been up to
lately, visit their office on Lot 1/9 or
www.whistlerartscouncil.com
.
Up for the Citta’ Challenge?
For the 17
th
year running Citta’ Bistro will host
its annual Citta’ Challenge, a veritable test of mettle for members of the
local restaurant and hotel industry.
On Wednesday, June 18, teams of five will begin their trek, running
along the Valley Trail, canoeing down the River of Golden Dreams and biking
back to Citta’s for an epic after party to kick off the summer, where a steel
drum band, Soul Survivor, will provide entertainment.
Registration for the Challenge is at 8 a.m. the day of the
race, and the event kicks off at 10 a.m.
A stitch in
time
The Whistler
Valley Quilter’s Guild is getting ready for their fifth annual quilt show this
weekend, entitled “Quilts in the Mountains.”
The show
will feature over 100 projects completed by guild members, ranging from
“grandma”-styled quilts, to more daring artistic projects.
Also on
display at the show will be challenge projects that were put to quilters, which
encourage members to learn new techniques.
There are
around 40 members of the guild who work on a number of community-based projects
throughout the year, including quilts that are given to people who are
suffering from illnesses, injuries or personal issues, and ice bags for the
Whistler Health Care Centre.
One quilt,
“Autumn Salsa,” will be raffled off at the show to benefit the Howe Sound
Women’s Centre, which supports women in crisis in the Sea to Sky corridor.
The guild
meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from September until May,
and welcomes new members.
The show runs Saturday and Sunday at the Blackcomb
Administration Building. Admission is $5, and raffle tickets will be sold for
$3.
