Services

The OCAC carries out many services within the community to help artists facilitate their goals and to help raise awareness of the importance of the arts and culture in local community. Here are just a few:

Blue Brochure: The OCAC creates an annual self directed gallery tour pamphlet that highlights the local artisans working form home studios all around Oceanside. This brochure is placed on BC ferries and in Tourist Centres throughout the island.

Press Releases: Through a partnership with Oceanside Star, the OCAC is able to write editorial for press every week in a guaranteed editorial column. This allows artists to profile themselves or activities for free through the OCAC.

Information: The OCAC is proud to be a one-stop-shop for community members with queries relating to the arts and culture. Whether someone is looking for art classes, collectors or information on a local artist, the OCAC is willing and able to assist.

OCAC News: A newsletter with information from the OCAC, members and member groups is emailed monthly to all members. It is also available mid-month online through a link at the top of the OCAC website main page.

Oceanside Arts Awards: Inagurated in 2007, the OCAC initiated an Arts Award Program presented to community members in the following categories: Volunteer of the Year (for 200: Marjorie Guehoe, Mentor of the Year (for 2009: Olivia Mennie), Business of the Year (for 2009: Joe Cunningham Ford). Nominations to suggest worthy recipients of these awards are submitted by OCAC members and the community at large.

Rentals
Whenever our programming schedules allow, the various rooms in our building are available for community groups to rent at less than standard rates. In addition to our gallery space, the Arts Council features a separate Classroom in which to hold classes, workshops or community group meetings. The Classroom will hold 60 – 70 people. There are large tables available in the Classroom and an in-house kitchen to provide tea and coffee. Local painting groups use the Classroom for studio space and demonstrations as well as meetings.

Echo Theatre, Bard to Broadway, Island Academy of Children’s Theatre and Vancouver Island Opera are among the regular theatre and musical groups that use our facilities to rehearse their various productions. Local music teachers hold regular students recitals on the grant piano which is available in the Arrowsmith Gallery.

Please feel free to contact us with any space/rental requests. Space is available on an hourly or a daily basis for classes, rehearsals, meetings, workshops, displays, etc.

Gift Shop
This shop features work by local Vancouver Island artists and artisans of great skill. A little known secret place to purchase exquisite and unique gifts.

• pottery: bowls, vases, cups, lanterns, and decorative pieces including much raku
• fabric arts: painted silk pillows, hand-woven scarves
• woodwork: boxes, marquetry
• glass work: stained, fused and blown glass
• jewellery: silver, copper, semi precious stones, and beaded
• baskets: pine needle, cedar
• much more, including a wide assortment of handmade cards, small sculpture and other items suitable for gifts are available.

Drop by and see us anytime!

The OCAC is working to become a Council that is self-sustainable and operates a budget created through revenues, sponsorship and partnership. We aim to utilize grants to augment our project and programming rather than relying on them for operations. In order for us to become autonomous we need support; the word 'support' was chosen because it is very adaptable; it doesn't matter whether an organisation can provide time, resources, in-kind donations or monetary sponsorship, support is what is going to give the Arts Council the strength it needs to become the arts hub of Oceanside.

The OCAC has created a tiered sponsorship table that shows what we can do to maximise any contribution made to the Arts Council, such as providing in-kind tax reciepts. The OCAC proudly accepts contributions, donations and sponsorships; this income is re-invested directly back into the Council to maintain our building and grow our programming and on other arts and culture initiatives within the community. For more information, please contact the Executive Director

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