A NNUAL REPORT 2020
CONTENTS
Mes sage fro m the D ir e c t or V PA G Mis s ion H ig hlig ht s Pro gram u p d a t e s F i n an c ia l R e p or t Pl an s f o r t he Fut ur e D o n o rs an d S p ons or s Ho w y o u c a n he lp T ha nk you 2
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT The past year has been a time of challenge, change and significant creativity as the Vernon Public Art Gallery adapted to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We had many ‘firsts’ for the gallery including the first ever virtual Midsummer’s Eve of the Arts and Riot on the Roof. While we couldn’t meet in person, we felt it was important to continue to provide a means for people to come together to enjoy and experience our signature events especially through such a trying time. Believing that art should be accessible to all, even during a pandemic, community outreach became even more important and central to our curatorial program. Staff quickly pivoted our operations to ensure our community continued to have access to our exhibitions and curatorial programming through our newly launched virtual formatting. Through a mixture of live streaming and pre-recorded content, we were able to bring visual culture into people’s homes and provide a creative respite from the isolation felt by so many. We had a successful launch of our Regional Reach travelling art kit which was developed to ensure that students throughout the entire North Okanagan have access to our professional art education programming. We are extremely pleased with the results of this program and are already in the process of expanding to multiple kits in order to meet the demands of the outlying schools. Financially, the VPAG enters 2021 in a solid position. This can be attributed to the ongoing support we received from our members, donors and sponsors as well as the various emergency funding sources we were able to access to offset the losses we encountered from our earned revenue due to the pandemic. The VPAG is now well aligned to designate restricted funds to implement the growth that will be required as we prepare our organization for its transition to the new facility, the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre. Work continued throughout the pandemic on securing capital donations for the new facility and work will continue throughout 2021/22 to raise the $4 million required for the capital campaign as well as endowment funds to support the expanded operational costs that will be associated with the new facility. The Regional District of the North Okanagan has applied for 2 grants from senior levels of government and we anticipate the results from those applications by fall of 2021. I’d like to personally thank my Board of Directors and Staff for all that you do and a big thank you to those of you in our community who continue to support the work we do in providing critical, creative content for our community and beyond. I encourage you to review this annual report in its entirety to get a more in-depth view of some of our highlights for 2020. We look forward to seeing you in 2021. Warmest Regards, Dauna Kennedy
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MISSION & VISION MISSION
VISION
The Vernon Public Art Gallery exists to connect our community to the creative presence and possibilities within the visual arts through its exhibitions and activities.
The Vernon Public Art Gallery will broaden its connections within the community and become a critically acclaimed regional art gallery.
FIVE-FOLD MANDATE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
To exhibit, collect and preserve local, regional, national and international art of the highest possible standards
To promote visual arts in the broader community
To provide information, education, challenge and inspiration in the visual arts
To encourage appreciation of and participation in the visual arts
To provide a meeting place, facility and institution for the benefit of the citizens of Greater Vernon. 5
2020 HIGHLIGHTS
VIRTUAL FIRSTS: MIDSUMMER’S EVE OF THE ARTS RIOT ON THE ROOF ARTIST TALKS FAMILY SATURDAYS MINI ARTISTS TRY THIS AT HOME EXHIBITION TOURS
26 D I G I TA L A CT IVIT IES & EVEN T S 68 6 2 VI E W ERS 87 % m o r e t ha n l i ve a t t en d a n ce
VPAG Animation The closure challenged us to be creative, and find innovative ways to serve the community. We quickly pivoted to an online format with many of our programs in order to make art accessible to the community.
We asked local illustrator,
Ashleigh Green, to make this short animation about the VPAG’s transition to the virtual space. See the full animation on our website at vernonpublicartgallery.com/online-content
Regional Reach The VPAG’s Learning and Community Engagement Curator, Kelsie Balehowsky, developed a travelling art education kit designed for the outlying schools in the North Okanagan Regions. Regional Reach was released in November of 2020, and within the first few weeks of the release it was 90% booked for 2021! Outlying schools within the North Okanagan face barriers when it comes to physically attending workshops and school tours offered at the gallery. This travelling art education kit is delivered to the school and allows the teacher flexibility in tailoring the lessons to their class/age group needs. The success of this program has created the need for a second kit, which will be in development in 2021.
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PROGRAM UPDATES
Regional Reach: People who used the Regional Reach kit in 2020: 267 The Regional Reach program was created with the intent to deliver art education to all. The kit includes a guide full of information and 10 cross-curricular lesson plans inspired by five Indigenous artists; art supplies and materials for students to engage in an art education activity with a printmaking focus; two books created by local Indigenous peoples and 3 original framed artworks from our permanent collection. Regional Reach is 90% booked for 2021. A total of 267 people have utilized the kit so far.
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Try this at home series:
Membership 800
We implemented a new series of videos created to provide our members and the community a thoughful way to engage in art activities from home. With a total of 8 videos released throughout the closure, we averaged 245 views per video, with a total of 1957 views overall.
600 400 200 0
2018
2019
2020
Institutional memberhsips: A new membership program for Institutions such as local colleges was created in order to allow their students to have access to the VPAG for the full year! This added 500 students to our membership program, increasing our membership by 54% from 2019.
School Tour attendees
Artist Talks attendees
Family Saturdays & Mini Artists
53 105
36
334
Live
Virtual
84 505
Live
Virtual
Live
Virtual
School tour program: Live: 14 tours, with 334 attendees Virtual: 4 tours, with 105 attendees Many of our in-person programs were affected by the Covid-19 health restrictions. We pivoted to a virtual format to allow students and teachers the opportunity to continue learning through our exhibition tours and workshops. Many schools took advantage of this virtual program which accounted for 33% of the total school tours. We hosted a total of 18 tours/workshops with 439 people over the 6 months we were able to offer both inperson and virtual school tours.
Artist Talks:
Family Saturday and Mini Artists:
Live: 4 artist talks, with 53 attendees Virtual: 7 artist talks, with 505 viewers/attendees
Live: 4 live days, with 84 attendees Virtual: 5 virtual days, with 36 attendees
We were able to implement a new virtual artist talk program, partnering with UBCO to create a lecture series. The virtual platform allowed for higher participation and a greater reach of audience. A total of 90% of attendees/ views were virtual throughout the year. We plan to continue the virtual artist talks into the future.
We successfully pivoted both of our popular Family Saturdays and Mini Artists programs to a virtual setting to offer children and parents the same diverse art activities from the comfort of their homes. We will be doing a mix of both live and virtual days depending on the required equiptment and current health regulations.
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FINANCIAL REPORTS
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PLANS FOR THE FUTURE C o m m u n it y e ng a g emen t pr ojec t s
Exhi bi ti ons i n 2021
Teen Junction/Okanagan Boys and Girls Club: In May, 2021, the VPAG will be teaming up with these organizations to create an exhibition.
Okanagan Print Triennial: This international exhibition highlights the best in printmaking worldwide. With 28 artists from 15 different countries, this open juried print exhibition will also feature live virtual artist talks with a select number of artists from the exhibition.
Legacy of Hope: In May, 2021, The VPAG will be presenting a component of the Legacy of Hope Travelling Exhibition which deals with the history of the Residential School system. Beairsto Elementary: In July 2021, the VPAG will be teaming up with the students and PAC at Beairsto Elementary to create an exhibition dealing with the topic of anti-racism, identity and diversity. Seniors Travelling Art Kit: Due to COVID-19, seniors’ wellbeing and quality of life has been severely impacted. Art education programs have demonstrated that engaging seniors in meaningful conversations about art - even when cognitive changes are significant - creates a strong sense of well-being for both client and caregivers. Proffesionals working in this field of study have learned that practicing creativity has proven to support emotional well-being, reinforce the brain cells responsible for memory, cultivate a positive approach to life that enhances the immune system, and promote social interactions that help combat depression. We plan to offer a travelling art kit with a digital component to around 15 seniors’ homes in the North Okanagan. Behind the Mask: Teaming up with Katie Green, the SPC, DVA and the City of Vernon, the VPAG hopes to engage equity seeking members’ of our community in a series of mask making workshops led by artist Katie Green exploring the mental health ramifications of COVID-19. Photos of participants wearing their handmade masks will be enlarged and installed on public buildings throughout Vernon. (grant pending)
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Sean Caulfield, Timothy Caulfield, and Sue Colberg Infodemic: Infodemic is an artist’s book project made up of text and image pairings that were created out of an interdisciplinary project that examines the impact of misinformation around health issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marsha Kennedy Embodied Ecologies: In October, 2021, this travelling project brings together numerous works from public and private art collections across three provinces to highlight the artistic practice of this Canadian painter.
Cultur al Centr e The Greater Vernon Cultural Centre will act as an economic and social stimulus for the Greater Vernon area. In addition to a new home for the Vernon Public Art Gallery, the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre will also provide space for the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives. In 2018 Greater Vernon voters were asked to decide whether they supported borrowing up to $25 million to fund a portion of the Cultural Centre project. The referendum was approved with the 2018 general local elections. The Capital Campaign is part of the integral funding needed to support this project! The VPAG has been a leader in pushing the Cultural Centre project forward, and we are excited to announce that we are now taking pledges toward the $4 million Capital Campaign!
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SPONSORS, DONORS & VOLUNTEERS S p o n so r s
Donors
Kal Tire Nixon Wenger LLP Wooley & Co. Davidson lawyers LLP O’Callaghan Bilodeau Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services Vernon Roofing VantageOne Credit Union Prestige Vernon Lodge and Conference Centre
Robert Everitt Shell Duggan Bruce & Jill Acton Karen Raven Steven Lattey Susan Osborn Douglas Geller George William Wagner Marco Ariano Judy & Dick Turner Christine Kashuba Marion Morrison Dauna Kennedy Brian Martin Grace O’Neill Raymond Peterson Amy Kermociev Terry Price Nor-Val Rentals Karol King Ken Clancy John Michael Chasca Bill Gilmour & Jan Provonost Dianne Farnsworth
G ra n t s BC Arts Council Canadian Heritage Provincial Gaming Regional Discrict of North Okanagan Community Foundation of the North Okanagan Canada Council for the Arts Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Province of BC Canada Summer Jobs
Nick Brush Carl St Jean Dudley Coulter Nychelle Mesenchuck Miles Proter Eddie McKimmie Angela Broadbent Dale Braken Steven Lattey Robyn Thurston Kara Barclay Victoria Lewis Nicky Griffin Vanessa Tjibeault Jill Binder Nixon Wenger LLP Annette Borkent Nicky Griffin Natalie Appleton Shirley Higgins Buffie Moir Susan Rae Maitland
Permanent Collection 4 pieces were donated to the permanent collection in 2020, with a value of $7300.00
Derek Hall Untitled Kalamalka Lake
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Frank Charlie Kwya Tweek Tchuss Miyuh (Sea Wolf)
MEA D o n o r s & Supporters Sproing Creative O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars Olive Us Peter Solymosi Photography Uprooted Kitchen & Catering Kara Barkved Rick Bond Julie Oakes James Postill Carley Rangen Liz Ranney Eileen Sawracki Gail Short Kevin Spetifore Gabrielle Strong Nicole Young Amy Bradshaw Ria Carpay Glenn Clark Carin Covin Briar Craig Donna Gorrill
Phi l anthropy Members Charley Hampton Barbara-Jean Hennessey Helen Kovacs Diana Krall Arte Funktional Ali Layne Thomas Wanda Lock Jolene Mackie Buffie Moir Kristie Moore Cindy Downey Beverley Gordon Patricia Neil Lawton Rhonda Neufeld Destanne Norris Dawn Thrasher Ann Willsie
Wanda Lock The Day You Went Away A Storm Was Brewing
Bruce & Jill Acton Shell Duggan George Galbraith Allison Jaquish Sarah Kennedy Marion Morrison Karen Raven Andrew Powell Jacqueline Gijssen
Perm anent C ol l ect i on Donors Wanda Lock Derek Hall Nancy Hanson
V ol unt eers Andrew Powell Kyle Britton Marion Morrison Shell Duggan Teresa Durning Sigrid-Ann Thors Jay Gillman Bonnie Thomas Edward Woolley Bruce Acton June Duncan Carin Covin Sarah Kennedy Michele Blais Elizabeth Moeller John Chasca Jordan Melvin Myles Ferryman Lucy Hwang Paulette Crowe Frances Evans Carolina Sanchez de Bustamante Catie Balehowsky
Wanda Lock The Day You Went Away It Was Summer
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THANK YOU How can you help? Donate: Donor involvement is key for the Vernon Public Art Gallery to meet its annual fundraising target of $90,000. Make a general donation or a donation towards a cause of your choice by giving monthly, annually or at a frequency of your choosing.
Sponsor: Sponsorship is a great way to support the VPAG. We have a variety of exhibitions, educational programs and events to sponsor, we are certain that one will be a match with your organization’s values.
Philanthropy: At the VPAG, we have 3 philanthropy memberships that cater to those who would like to add to their membership both financially and through increased benefits of being an active member of the philanthropy community.
Volunteer: Volunteering with the VPAG can be flexible and fun! We are always looking for someone who is able to donate some of their time and expertise to the gallery. Your involvement means alot to us! By volunteering with the Gallery you become part of an engaged and creative community.
Vernon Public Art Gallery | www.vernonpublicartgallery.com |info@vernonpublicartgallery.com 250.545.3173 | 3228 31st Avenue, Vernon, BC