The local arts community is gaining momentum.
Keyano’s Director of Marketing and Communications Russel Thomas will be switching roles temporarily to join Wood Buffalo’s Art Council as its interim Executive Director.
As a long time local arts advocate his job will allow the council to get established and work through its goals quickly.
He says in the short term the first things that will be done is to solidify a governing structure, and to work with the city in creating a public art policy.
“It’s a percentage-for-art program,” he continues, ” so if you build a $100-million municipal facility, $1-million will be used for the creation of public art. So it’s going to be woven into everything we do as a community through the municipal development plan.”
The council will also focus on refining its mandate mission and vision, creating a budget, and securing funding.
It will also work with the community, engage it, try to understand the needs of the art community, mapping existing resources and build a collaborative vision for the arts in the region.
In a release, Keyano’s President and CEO, Dr. Kevin Nagel says the council is essential to growing the arts in the community.
He says the arts create a culture, that gives people a sense of place. “[culture] is what allows us to connect to where we live, to the people that we live with, where we’ve come from and where we’re going to.”
He adds, “I think [culture] is embedded in the municipal development plan. There is a political will, that this is something that has to be supported.” He goes on, “I know we have the support of our provincial partners and our federal partners as well. Why? Because it matters.”
Looking into the future, after the council has done its work, he says public art will be noticed, and have a sense of place in the community.
Thomas says it’s exciting to see opportunity grow for arts enthusiasts in the community.
He starts the job Monday.
LISTEN HERE
Russel explains the council.
[audio:http://pmd.country933.com/audio/ferne-news/russellthomas-onthecouncil.mp3]About his job in particular.
[audio:http://pmd.country933.com/audio/ferne-news/russelthomas-aboutthejob.mp3]What he’ll work on first.
[audio:http://pmd.country933.com/audio/ferne-news/russelthomas-shorttermgoalsforcouncil.mp3]What the long term will look like.
[audio:http://pmd.country933.com/audio/ferne-news/russelthomas-longterm.mp3]May 15th, 2013
