Entering its second year, the Peace Valley Arts Society is flourishing in the small town of Hudson’s Hope. Board director and founder Caitlin Vince says the society is providing a much needed space for arts in the community, with a wide variety of mediums on offer - painting, live music, pottery and more.
“We’re really trying to cultivate the arts in our community; there’s no arts programming currently, other than the school. So, for adults there’s been nothing here really since Janis Herbison passed away,” said Vince. “And she was a great patron of the arts, she had painting classes and brought in all sorts of different media. She was really inspiring for me, and the impetus behind starting the arts society”
The society has grown far beyond what the board directors are able to support, added Vince, with the non-profit currently seeking an executive director. Two years of grant funding has been secured through the BC Arts Council to create the position.
“We’ve kind of outgrown what the board members have the capacity for, we all work full-time jobs and have families, and all of these things, and there’s only four of us,” said Vince. “We want to ramp up the programming even more.”
The executive director would be responsible for handling the society’s finances, programming, organizing fundraising, and advocating on their behalf.
The society is also open to partnering with neighbouring communities’ art initiatives and will take part in HeART Walk 2023, a regional hosting of pop-up art installations from the Peace to the Northern Rockies. Last year they helped host the region-wide event.
“It was a great little addition to the community,” Vince said.
Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca
