PRAIRIE PAGEANT

Unparalleled Access to the Arts The History of the Organization of Arts Councils

by Lynn Gidluck | University of Regina

36 • PRAIRIE HISTORY ne of Saskatchewan’s best kept Director of Adult Education in secrets is its history of supporting the Saskatchewan Department of Education. Smith was assisted in and nurturing the arts. developing the Arts Board by prom- O inent Saskatchewan artists such as People outside major centres, living artists in 40 communities. The painter Ernest Lindner, University in rural, remote and northern School Touring Program had of Saskatchewan drama professor communities, have unparalleled three tours travel to 47 schools in Emrys Jones and University of access to performing and visual arts, 31 communities to present a total Saskatchewan English professor thanks largely to the Organization of 46 performances, and one 1-day Carlyle King.4 of Saskatchewan Arts Councils juggling residency. OSAC’s Visual These early leaders were deter- (OSAC). Jurisdictions across the and Media Arts Program toured mined that the Arts Board would country envy OSAC’s system of 20 distinct visual and media arts not be a government committee or community-based arts councils. exhibitions this year, booked for an advisory board to civil servants. OSAC is a member-based eligible display by 32 Arts Councils. A total While it would still answer to the provincial cultural organization, of 58 installations were viewed by provincial government, it was to funded by Saskatchewan Lotteries, community members, including be an arms-length board with its that offers programs and services through approximately 121 guided own budget. Government represen- in the visual arts and performing tours. While those numbers remain tatives, leaders in the fields of art, arts. Saskatchewan Lotteries is an impressive, the COVID Pandemic and ordinary citizens could all be important fundraiser for sport, resulted in the postponement of found on the board. Care was also culture and recreation in the prov- another 54 School Performances, taken to ensure that they came from ince. Proceeds from lottery ticket 22 Visual arts exhibitions and 50 across the province, not just from sales go into the Saskatchewan Community performances from and Regina.5 Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, March through July 2020.2 The Arts Board rapidly launched Culture and Recreation, which While it was formally incorpo- a number of programs to stim- supports more than 12,000 groups rated as a non-profit organization ulate artistic growth and make that provide sport, culture and in 1968, OSAC’s roots trace back to the arts available to the people of recreation programming to more when the Saskatchewan Arts Board Saskatchewan. Outreach programs than 500,000 individual and family was created. The Saskatchewan Arts and tours aimed at smaller towns registrants each year, from over 800 Board, modelled after the British and villages, workshops to improve communities, rural municipalities Arts Council, was the first organi- artistic standards, and programs to and First Nations bands across the zation of its kind in Canada when raise public attention engaged the province. OSAC’s vision is that the the CCF government of Tommy community and got the attention arts are an integral part of the lives Douglas established it in 1948. of the media.6 By the late 1950s of Saskatchewan people. OSAC’s Long before most other provinces and early 1960s the Board began mission is to provide leadership followed suit with similar adminis- transitioning to an artist-develop- and assist the membership in their trative and funding bodies for the ing and grant-giving organization. endeavours to develop, promote and arts, the Saskatchewan Arts Board The Board did not entirely stop its program the visual and/or perform- helped launch programs to make the programming as some significant ing arts.1 arts available to its residents outside developments took place during the In the 2019/2020 season, the major centres and to stimulate 1960s, including the Festival of the Performing Arts Program presented artistic growth.3 The idea for the Arts.7 129 performances by 25 different board originated with David Smith,

Facing page: World-renowned brass quintet, The Canadian Brass, wowed audiences when they toured the province for the Stars for Saskatchewan series in 1978–1979. The Canadian Brass was known for their unique performance attire of formal black suits with running shoes. Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils.

No.4 • Winter 2021 37 Saskatchewan author W. O. arts accessible. Now it would be the Mitchell. Sparked by the persuasive local arts councils’ jobs to handle leadership of James Weir, who was this programming.11 president of the Weyburn Chamber For several years, the arts councils of Commerce in 1958–1959 and who worked independently in their own played an instrumental role in the communities, struggling to devel- development of the Saskatchewan op interest in the arts. Following Arts Board, meetings were held a resolution passed at a two-day that year to discuss the creation of a conference of the arts held in Regina municipal arts board. The result was in June 1968, the Organization of the enactment of a bylaw by the City Saskatchewan Arts Councils was Council of Weyburn to create the formed to represent existing arts Weyburn Arts Council—the first councils that were operating at the of its kind in Saskatchewan when it time. In 1969, with the assistance of was created in 1963.9 the Saskatchewan Arts Board, local Marguerite Gallaway was OSAC’s Following the success experi- arts councils began to send repre- first Executive Director. She served in this capacity from 1974 to 1987. enced by the Weyburn Arts Council sentatives to provincial meetings During these years the provincial and thanks to a growing interest where they could exchange ideas, office was located in her home city in the arts throughout the prov- discuss problems and console each of , Saskatchewan. The office ince, pressure was exerted on the other on mutual frustrations.12 moved to Regina when Gallaway Saskatchewan Arts Board by several “We found we were doing the same retired. Organization of Saskatchewan Arts communities for further infor- things,” said Colleen Bailey of Councils. mation on how to form municipal . “Perhaps Yorkton brought The Festival of the Arts was arts councils. In response, the Arts introduced in 1962 in Regina in Board sponsored a conference in response to the popularity of the Weyburn in 1965 to discuss the performances and art tours that concepts and organization behind the Arts Board had organized. In the formation of arts councils and subsequent years, it was decided community planning in the arts.10 that the Festival of the Arts would In an interview with the Montreal be introduced to smaller centres so Star, Cal Abrahamson with the their residents could have some of Arts Board noted that: “We [were] the same opportunities to hear and honestly trying to work ourselves see performances that normally out of jobs we feel regional arts only went to the larger cities.8 In councils are better equipped to han- 1963, the festival moved to Weyburn dle.” The arts councils could ease in conjunction with the city’s the burden on the Arts Board and Jubilee celebrations. Rather than allow it to focus its energies in new organize the event itself, the Arts directions. The councils would also Board offered financial backing to take on some of the programming local groups that undertook most that the Department of Education The small prairie community of Estevan, of the planning and tasks related to had suggested the board move away Saskatchewan gained national hosting the festival. Over 500 people from. The early Arts Board had attention when Chatelaine magazine did a profile of Maureen Forrester’s attended the performance by the spent much of its time planning tour in 1975. The famous opera singer Regina Symphony Orchestra. One and developing concerts, lectures, helped launch OSAC’s first Stars for of the highlights of the festival was exhibitions and other programs Saskatchewan concert tour as their a reading and lecture by renowned designed to encourage and make the headlining performer. Chatelaine, March 1977, p. 40.

38 • PRAIRIE HISTORY Terrence Littletent (top) is a world champion grass and hoop dancer. Chancz Perry (bottom) is an award-winning producer, choreographer and hip-hop dancer. Their collaborative Hip Hop Hoop Dance is a cross-cultural fusion of First Nations hoop dance and contemporary North American hip hop that explores the topic of reconciliation through the art of movement. Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils. in the Winnipeg Ballet and the fol- with directly profiting from and she celebrated the first year on the lowing year Battleford would want encouraging gambling. They were job in 1975, OSAC membership had it. We realized that organizing a tour open to a strong lobby from the increased to fourteen.15 It was during made more sense.”13 amateur sport community to let Gallaway’s tenure that the highly Though volunteers did their best volunteers from the amateur sport successful and popular “Stars for to work together, the Arts Board rec- federation use the provincial lottery Saskatchewan” program was estab- ognized that OSAC needed some- as a fundraiser for sport, culture and lished. The program took world fa- one to take charge if it was going to recreation. OSAC was one of the mous artists to small Saskatchewan survive and flourish. Fortunately, first organizations to benefit from a communities and gave extensive just when the fledgling organization grant from the Lottery Trust Fund. performance opportunities to could benefit from it the most, a To this day provincial sport, culture developing artists. “Our method new source of funding for culture and recreation associations benefit of selecting a series consisted of emerged in the form of the provin- from a stable source of funding that channelling all information from cial lottery. While other provinces recognizes the need for organiza- promoters to the provincial office,” created crown corporations or hired tions to hire professional staff to said Gallaway. Information was civil servants to work with and pro- implement programs and deliver collected on available artists from vide policy direction to regional lot- services.14 agents. Members from arts council tery entities that physically operated In 1974, Marguerite Gallaway, could study their options. “They the lotteries, Saskatchewan chose who was the chairperson of the were realistic enough to realize that a different path. Saskatchewan, led Estevan Arts Council, was recruited one booking for an artist was not by Premier Allan Blakeney and the to be OSAC’s first paid employee practical,” Gallaway said. “So, they New Democratic Party, was uneasy and Executive Director. By the time would agree among themselves on

No.4 • Winter 2021 39 arts as well as performing arts. While originally less visible than its performing arts tours, OSAC’s exhibition program has had just as big an impact on Saskatchewan communities. The Arts Councils were asked to recommend talented artists in their communities whose work could be toured. The office circulated information on the ex- hibits and organized the bookings. After the first year the program was assisted by the Norman MacKenzie Gallery in Regina and the Mendel in Saskatoon. Both galleries had outreach programs, so they agreed to have a member of their staff visit the communities that had recom- mended artists. They would advise OSAC if the quality of the work was of an appropriate standard for a tour. If approved, they would help the artist select their best work. 17 There were numerous practical and physical challenges involved in touring visual art shows. Getting the work packaged for transpor- tation, and finding suitable space for exhibitions in communities Performing artists Over the Moon delighted audiences at OSAC’s annual Showcase of the Arts held in Saskatoon on 18–20 October 2019. Each October, OSAC presents its annual was not always easy. “I believe the Showcase Conference, a booking conference for visual and performing arts that provides success and importance of the opportunities for networking and professional development. Tatum Duryba, Paper Moon Photography OSAC exhibition program can be summed up in three ways,” said Paul the choice of artists so that 4 to 10 Lynn Kot, two of the organization’s Fudge, who worked for the Norman bookings could be offered to the longest-serving volunteers said that MacKenzie Art Gallery at the time. ones selected.” one of the things they appreciate the “For one, the OSAC exhibitions This type of collective booking most about OSAC is the ability for gave good artists a chance to have gave OSAC a tremendous advantage local communities to have choice their work seen and enjoyed across when it came to arranging fees. in the type of entertainment they the province—an opportunity that Once the preliminary decisions feel their residents are most inter- may not have occurred without the were made, fees would be negoti- ested in. “People from the north program. Secondly, the shows gave ated and touring dates arranged. might want something completely the people of the communities the Even then, the final decisions were different than a community in the opportunity to see the work of a made by the local communities that south,” said Scadden. “Everybody wide variety of Saskatchewan artists had to approve the arrangements. had a choice for what best fit their that they would not otherwise have The Weyburn Concert Series has community.”16 had access to. Finally, the program been an affiliate member of OSAC In 1976 OSAC made the decision created the need for communities since 1978. Gloria Scadden and to have programs in the visual to think about and develop suitable

40 • PRAIRIE HISTORY exhibition spaces. In other words, communities recognized the impor- tance of having access to original art exhibitions, and the need to be able to show the work as well as possible in an accessible space.”18 Communities that never had art exhibitions responded with so much enthusiasm that they started to pressure town councils for facilities for ongoing exhibitions and work- shop programs. Many communities started out by renting halls on an ad hoc basis. Later, arts enthusiasts donated hours of volunteer hours to renovate old buildings so their town could have an arts centre.19 As Fudge explained, “The strength of the pro- gram was in giving control of both the choices and the practical issues to the volunteer representatives at Dennis Garreck, Nancy Martin, and Kevin Korchinski at the 2018 Sask Arts Awards, representing three of the six OSAC Executive Directors in 50 years. the local level. OSAC was responsi- Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils. ble for creating the exhibitions, and the organization tried to provide Development, networking and over an old school as a Community shows in a variety of visual arts seeing Visual Arts Exhibitions and Arts Centre. These were just a few disciplines, but it was the individual Performing Arts artists that will be of the communities that boasted arts councils who chose the shows part of their future seasons to pres- energetic volunteers, who with the they felt would be suitable for their ent to their home communities.20 help of OSAC and other funders community, and then took care of All these programs changed the like the Department of Culture and how the exhibition was handled and face of rural Saskatchewan—be- Youth, Saskatchewan Lotteries, the promoted at the local level.” yond just the scheduling of concerts Saskatchewan Arts Board and the OSAC’s Performing Arts and art exhibitions. Communities private sector, helped to enrich the Program and Visual and Media Arts across the province renovated un- cultural life of their communities.21 Program continues to bring cultural used facilities as Art Centres for ex- OSAC celebrated its 50th anniver- programming to communities hibition space and workshop areas. sary in 2018. That year it was hon- throughout the province. In 1994, Stoughton (pop. 700) purchased an oured to accept the Saskatchewan the Saskatchewan Junior Concert old theatre in which feature films Arts Award for Leadership by Society amalgamated with the and Saskatchewan productions the Saskatchewan Arts Board for Organization of Saskatchewan Arts began to be shown. Bengough (pop. the work it does to tour and hold Councils and their Junior Concerts 600) provided gallery and workshop professional music and theatre program now known as Performing space to local residents through performances, visual arts exhibi- Arts in Schools, became part of renting and operating a vacant tions, workshops and special events OSAC. Another tradition that the building. Estevan (pop. 10,000) across Saskatchewan.22 OSAC organization continues to offer is its provided scholarships to several remains focused on its vision that annual Showcase. The Conference students to attend the School of the arts be an integral part of the brings together the Arts Council the Arts. Moose Mountain (pop. lives of Saskatchewan people. A members from across the province 4000), raised money for a sound small group of staff headquartered for a weekend of Professional shell. La Ronge (pop. 3300) took in Regina depend on hundreds of

No.4 • Winter 2021 41 volunteers in small communities 1948–1970”, Master’s thesis, University in Collaborative Governance in throughout the province that work of Saskatchewan, 2012. Saskatchewan using the Proceeds of with them to help develop, promote 5. Ibid., p. 10. State-Directed Gambling,” PhD disser- and provide programming for visual 6. Jeremy Morgan, “The Saskatchewan tation, University of Regina, 2015. and performing arts. Arts Board,” The Encyclopedia of 15. OSAC 1975 Corporate Brochure. OSAC Current Executive Director Kevin Saskatchewan, Regina: Canadian Plains Files, Regina, SK. Korchinski, one of only a handful of Research Center, 2006, http://esask. 16. Gloria Scadden and Lynn Kot, inter- Executive Directors that OSAC has uregina.ca/entry/saskatchewan_arts_ view with author, June 2014. had in over 50 years, recently said: board.html 17. Paul Fudge, Email correspondence with “The original vision of ensuring 7. Elliott, “Stupid Not to Include the Arts,” author, 17 July 2017 and Marguerite the Arts are part of the lives of all p. 48. Gallaway, correspondence with the people in Saskatchewan and not just 8. “From Small Beginnings,” DVD pro- author 10 August 2017. those in cities, remains as strong duced by OSAC. 18. Fudge, email correspondence. today as in 1968. The Saskatchewan 9. Saskatchewan Arts Board, 17th Annual 19. OSAC Fact Sheet. Personal files of Arts Award for Leadership- Report of the Saskatchewan Arts Board: Marguerite Gallaway. (No date on Organization—which OSAC was January 1st to December 31st, 1964, Regina: document/circa 1980). awarded in 2018—was seen by Staff, Queen’s Printer, 1965, p. 5. 20. About OSAC/The Organization Board and Membership at OSAC— 10. Saskatchewan Arts Board, 18th Annual of Saskatchewan Arts Councils, as recognition of the work we have Report of the Saskatchewan Arts Board: Organization of Saskatchewan Arts done and a challenge to continue to January 1st to December 31st, 1965, Regina: Councils, accessed 11 January 2021, bring the Arts to the people of our Queen’s Printer, 1966, p. 12. https://www.osac.ca/about province.”23 n 11. Elliott, “Stupid not to Include the Arts,” 21. “Stars for Saskatchewan,” Prairie Arts: A p. 45. Window on the Saskatchewan Arts Scene, otes 12. Saskatchewan Arts Board, 21st Annual Volume 1, No. 4 (May/June 1983), p. 17. 1. About OSAC/The Report for the Saskatchewan Arts 22. “Saskatchewan Arts Board honours NOrganization of Saskatchewan Board: January 1st to December 31st, 1968, 2018 awards recipients,” Leader Post (26 Arts Councils, Organization of Regina, Queen’s Printer, 1969, p. 14 October 2018). Saskatchewan Arts Councils, accessed and Marguerite Gallaway, “Speech at 23. Kevin Korchinski, correspondence with 11 January 2021, https://www.osac.ca/ Touring Office Workshop,” Red Deer, author 22 January 2021. about Alberta (10 April 1975). Personal files of 2. Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Marguerite Gallaway. Board, Organization of Saskatchewan 13. Colleen Bailey, as quoted in OSAC Arts Councils Annual Report 2019–2020, video, “From Small Beginnings.” Regina, OSAC, July 2020, p. 2. 14. For more information on the unique 3. Jeremy Morgan, “The Saskatchewan lottery system in Saskatchewan Arts Board,” The Encyclopedia of see: Gidluck, L. (2016). “Funding Saskatchewan, Regina: Canadian Plains Policy and the Provincial Lottery: Research Center, 2006. [https://esask. Sport, Recreation and Culture in uregina.ca/entry/saskatchewan_arts_ Saskatchewan.” In: Peter R. Elson board.jsp] and A. W. Johnson, Dream (ed). Funding Policies and the Nonprofit No Little Dreams: A Biography of the Sector in Western Canada: A Case Study Douglas Government of Saskatchewan, Analysis, University of Toronto Press; Lynn Gidluck leads the University of Regina’s Community Engagement and 1944–1961, University of Toronto Press, Gidluck, L. (2016). Giving us a Sporting Research Centre. She has a PhD in Public 2004, pp. 163–165. Chance: The Story of Sask Sport. Regina: Policy and History from the Johnson 4. Ian Elliott, “Stupid Not to Include Coteau Books and Gidluck, L. (2015), Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy the Arts: The Creation and Evolution “Building Social Capital through Sport, in Regina. She is an Associate Editor with of the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Culture and Recreation: An Experiment Prairie History.

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