Arts Council receives performance award

On March 14 the Oliver Commmunity Arts Council was approved for an annual grant from the BC Arts Council totalling $7923.00 to assist with 2012-13 operating costs.

The British Columbia Arts Council (BCAC) is an independent agency that supports arts and cultural activity in communities across BC: not only arts councils, but also dance and drama companies, art galleries, local museums and music festivals. The BC Arts Council receives funding from the Province of BC to disburse through grants, community initiatives, training and scholarships. The Council also acts as an advocate for the Arts in B.C., provides public education, and conducts research that helps inform provincial arts policies.

The Oliver Community Arts Council completes a set of essays and questionnaires each September in order to qualify for BCAC funding. Anyone wishing to see the complete application from September 2011 is welcome to contact the OCAC at OliverCAC@ gmail.com

The award is divided into three components:

1) Basic Assistance ($1423.00): This is determined by community population size and distance from the Lower Mainland. This year’s figure was similar to previous years’ amounts at $1423.00

2) Local Government Matching ($3500) :  The BC Arts Council agrees to pay up to $4000 when proof is supplied that local government will match the amount. Oliver Parks and Recreation Society budgets $3500 annually for the Oliver Community Arts Council, and this figure has been matched by the provincial arts body.

3) Annual Performance Award ($3000): For the last two years, the Oliver Community Arts Council has written an additional essay to demonstrate meritorious programming, events, and administration that meets the “core values” of the BC Arts Council.  These core values include: artistic excellence, a vibrant arts and cultural community, inclusiveness and cultural diversity, encouragement of artistic activity, transparent, fair, and accountable administrative and adjudicative processes, and clear operational goals.  The arts council asked for and received $3000 this year, up from last year’s figure of $2000.

The Oliver Community Arts Council is grateful for the financial support of the Province of BC, the BC Arts Council, and local government (Town of Oliver and RDOS through the support of Oliver Parks and Recreation) to provide much needed operational funding.

Arts Council funds four local arts groups

At their June Board meeting, the arts council awarded Contracted Service Agreements in varying amounts to four local arts groups. Financial aid is granted to successful applicants presenting a public seminar, workshop, performance, exhibit or other event with an arts focus that upholds the mandates of the arts council. As such, these events now become an extension of the work of the arts council.

The Desert  Sage Spinners and Weavers received funding for an eco-dyeing  workshop with Coby VanDerGaast at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre this summer. VanderGaast is an instuctor in the fibre program at Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College in Nelson, B. C. She is also an organic farmer and is currently growing dye plants for Earthues, a natural colour company based in Seattle. Desert Sage regularly seeks arts council funding, enabling them to hire professional instructors in the fibre arts.

The Oliver Handbell Ringers were awarded financial aid to purchase sheet music for two public performances in the 2011 – 2012 season. This is the first year the Handbell Ringers have been members of the arts council and applied for funding. The arts council was especially pleased to see a new group apply — and apply successfully.  

Another first-time applicant, although long-time member of the arts council, was the Oliver Sagebrushers. The painting club received funding  for a public demonstration and exhibit entitled “En Plein Air Painting at Rustico Winery” on the weekend of September 10 – 11. The public can watch artists at their easels at scenic locations around the vineyard and winery. Arts council funding will cover publicity and live music at the event.  

The South Okanagan Concert Society, which has relied on  arts council support for many years, has been awarded $500 towards expenses for their 2011-2012 season. The season is a promising one, including  

Fri. October 28: Alexander Sevastian, solo accordion
Fri. Nov 25: Kallisto Trio, a capella female trio
Fri. Jan 27: Daniel Bolshoy, solo guitarist
Fri. Feb 24 : Penderecki String Quartet

$60 regular flex pass and $20 single ticket. Tickets at Beyond Bliss, Oliver and Imperial Office Pro, Osoyoos. All performances at Oliver Alliance Church.

Congratulations to the successful applicants! Please attend these fine artistic events over the next year of programming!

 Photo Credits: Gail Erickson, Val Freisen (file photos)

Last Call for $$$

The Oliver Community Arts Council will be reviewing proposals for local arts funding at its upcoming Board meeting on June 15.  Today marks the official deadline for applications for OCAC financial aid.  

As a registered charity, the arts council enters into “contractual agreements” with individual artists and arts groups who request financial aid for workshops, performances, exhibits and other public arts-related events offered in the Oliver area.  If the event is in accord with the arts council’s mandate and funding is approved, the applicant is in effect acting as an agent of the arts council and presenting public art on their behalf. Up to $500 ia awarded to a deserving applicant. The number of successful applicants depend in part on the amount of aid asked for on each application. The OCAC budget sets aside approximately $1500 – $2000 per year for contracted service agreements.  

So far four applications have been received: three from local arts groups and one from a performing artist. Application forms are available by clicking on “Forms” under the banner at the top of this page. Click on “Contracted Service Agreement”. The Introduction explains the funding criteria, and Part 1 is the application. Applications may be emailed to olivercac @gmail.com or mailed to the OCAC, P.O. Box 1711, Oliver, BC   V0H 1T0. Late applications may be considered if received by Friday June 3. Contact the arts council at their email address for assistance with the application process.

OCAC Funding Available to Members

Are you an OCAC member planning a public arts event? A musical performance? A seminar or other instructional arts program? Need funding? As a registered charity, the OCAC offers Contracted Service Agreements every year to help fund activities that reflect the arts council’s constitutional mandate.  The application is available to all members of the arts council, not just member groups but also individuals and businesses who want to programme an event under the OCAC mandate and who require a funding boost. 

There are two parts to the application. The first is submitted before your event to seek funding approval. The second, in the event your event is approved, is submitted after the event showing the event took place. The application deadline is June 1, 2011 for arts events, performances and seminars occurring September 1, 2011 to August 31, 2012.  Last year, we received some applications for summer events taking place before September 1. While these applications were outside the funding period, we did grant funds to two events. If you are planning an event for this summer, please be aware that while we may fund you, you will not get confirmation of funding until mid-June, giving you little time for planning or preparation.

Unless otherwise requested, all funding will be received after the event has taken place, to help with billable expenses or to replace funds spent. Up to 50% of the funds can be made available up-front on a need basis. Please explain in your application if this is your case.

The Board will evaluate all applications at their June meeting and inform all applicants of the result by the end of June. There is approximately $1500 available and the maximum fee-for-service is $500 per application. Please consider your event budget carefully to judge what amount you need. The OCAC budget may not accommodate all applicants’ funding requests so the best applications will be selected on merit, reflection of the OCAC mandate, and demonstration of need. If you need assistance in writing a strong application, please contact the OCAC Board.

Want a copy of the CSA application or more information? Contact olivercac@gmail.com

Local support acknowledged in receiving BCAC Grant

Unlike the picture, there are no easy pickin’ “money trees” in the arts. That’s why the arts council is thrilled to announce that it has received news from its governing body, the BC Arts Council, that the council has been awarded an annual operating grant of $7000.

The sum includes three parcels:

$1500 Basic Assistance, from a formula calculated by the BC Arts Council based on population size and distance from the Lower Mainland.  All arts councils who apply receive a basic assistance amount.  

* $3500 Local Government Matching Grant, determined by the amount of funding received from local government. The OCAC is grateful to Oliver Parks and Recreation Society and the Town of Oliver for their financial support. 

* $2000 Annual Performance Award.  This is the first time the Oliver Community Arts Council has received this award. The council was required to submit an essay demonstrating artistic acheivement, community engagement (e.g. community partnerships), organizational management, innovation, and sustainability.

The BC Arts Council grant will be applied to operating costs – all the basic necessities that keep the arts council functioning, such as heat and light, office and organizational materials, telephone service, publicity, and so on. While these costs may sound mundane, it is funding that is desperately needed.

Imagine an artist trying to create a new work, but only supplied with colourful acrylic paint, or pottery glaze, or vibrant yarn. It may look pretty but without the proper tools (canvas, clay, or a loom) no art can be created. 

So too with grant funds. The vast majority of arts grants available are designated only for programming (concerts, exhibits, educational classes, workshops, etc). That’s the “colour”.   Those grants do not cover operating costs. That’s the canvas, clay, or loom – the backbone or armature of the organization.  An arts council cannot provide vibrant programmes without  being assured it will cover its operational expenditures.

The arts council thanks its many community supporters and partners, whose co-operation has contributed to our receiving this funding package.  Check out our member groups, businesses, and blogroll for just a taste of who our supporters are!

Two Member Groups Receive Arts Council Funding

The South Okanagan Concert Society and the Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers recently were awarded $500 each in contracted service agreements between their organizations and the Oliver Community Arts Council. As a registered charity, the OCAC sponsors member group activities that reflect the constitutional purposes of the arts council. These must be public arts events including instructional seminars and workshops, visual arts events, and performance arts festivals.

romanzacoverThe concert society requested financial aid for their 2009-10 concert season. In order to make musical performances as accessible as possible to as many as possible, the society keeps prices low ($55 for a four concert flex pass), admits youth 17 and under free,  and helps facilitate master classes for local music students.

This season, the society is hosting some fabulous performers:  Duo Affinite (pictured at left), Calvin Dyck and the Golden Violin, Ezeadi Onukwulu and One Human Race, and the Vancouver Chamber Choir.

Flex passes are on sale for $55 at Miss Molly’s Quilt Shop, 97th (Main) Street Oliver. For more information on the concert series, use the search engine tool to locate articles on “South Okanagan Concert Society”.

 

diane-and-yarn-creations The Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers applied for funding to support their two-day “Colour and Silk” workshop, with guest instructor Barbara Robinson from Rossland, on September 26-27. The workshop entails mixing dyes, dyeing the silk fibres, and spinning them into wonderful creations. A member of the club poses at left with a display of dyed, spun and knitted items during the 2009 Oliver Country Market A-Fair. More information about the Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers can be found using the search tool, or looking under “member groups” on this website.

 Congratulations to these two member groups!

The nest deadline for contracted service agrrement applications is June 1, 2010. The artistic events applied for must occur between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011. To receive your application, or to become a member group, contact the Oliver Community Arts Council at olivercac@gmail.com or by writing to the OCAC, P.O. Box 1711, Oliver, BC Canada, V0H 1T0.