ANNUAL REPORT 2015 ORGANIZATION OF SASKATCHEWAN ARTS COUNCILS 2016 Cover (close-up): Katherine Boyer, 234 BPI (beads per inch), acrylic beads on cotton, 9.5” x 13.5”, 2014. Toured 10 communities in 2015/2016. Opposite: Monique Martin, left to right, top to bottom: Poppies, Carnations, Unicorn, Sweetheart, Tulips, Froth, Forest, Thalys, Ink on paper, 2013-2015, 23 x 23cm (each mug) Showcase photos throughout the Annual Report are by Paper Moon Photography CONTENTS 2 About OSAC 3 Message from the Chair 4 Executive Director Report 6 Operations Coordinator Report 8 Performing Arts Report 10 Performing Arts: Spark Report 11 Junior Concerts and Membership Liaison Report 15 Arts Council Visits 16 Visual and Media Arts Report 20 OSAC Membership 22 Volunteer Recognition 24 Infographic Map 28 Funding Agencies and Donors 29 Join us Online 30 Performances and Exhibitions 36 Showcase 2015 Photos 39 Financials About OSAC The Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) acts as an umbrella for community arts councils and schools across the province. Across Saskatchewan, we bring people and the arts together. In more than 80 towns and cities, local arts councils Ǥơǡ performances, visual art exhibitions, workshops, and special events. ͚͙͘͝Ȁ͚͙͘͞ǡ͙͝͞ ͙͛ơ͚͡ Ǥ Concerts Program travelled to 60 communities throughout the province with 101 performances taking place. Sixteen visual and media arts exhibitions toured 81 venues throughout Saskatchewan and were viewed by over 24,000 people including over 150 gallery tours through OSAC’s touring visual arts program Arts on the Move. Check out our infographic map for a look at the schools and communities that have worked with OSAC in “Bringing the Arts to You!” ǡ ǡơ and services in the visual arts and performing arts. Saskatchewan Lotteries is an important fundraiser for sport, culture and recreation in the province. Proceeds from lottery ticket sales go into the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation, which supports more than 12,000 groups that provide sport, culture and recreation programming to more than 500,000 individual and family registrants each year, from over 800 communities, rural municipalities and First Nations bands across the province. VISION OSAC’s vision is that the arts are an integral part of the lives of Saskatchewan people. MISSION OSAC’s mission is to provide leadership and assist the membership in their endeavours to develop, promote and program the visual and/or performing arts. OSAC ENDS ƪ the province and is empowered through OSAC’s leadership. The membership throughout Saskatchewan has relevant and diverse arts opportunities. The membership is active, knowledgeable and engaged in Organizational Development as well as Visual and Performing Arts Presentation. Ƥ locally, provincially, and nationally. Ƥ ǡ provincially, and nationally. Message from the Chair Tim Raine ǡơ ǡDz are on the same page.” If progress is to be made, it does help greatly if people are working to a common goal and have a mutual understanding of the processes to arrive at the end result. It does not work well to rely on an assumption that everyone will think and act in the same way and have the same approach to problems. I think that society can be viewed similarly, even without any clear-cut target in mind for an endpoint. People have their own ways, their own understandings and their own models of the workings of the world; each individual must be unique due to his or her Ǥǡǡ underpinnings of what really makes society work: respect, honour, tolerance and even love. Many aspects of these things must be taught and they are taught best by demonstration. Art can cut through barriers that may exist between cultures that, more and more, share the same geography. Art can reach across language and create a starting point for a mutual understanding. Art is a way to build bridges by making the individual aware of commonalities ơ Ǥ By showing the artist’s experience, art demonstrates for the recipient what it is to feel in that way and brings everyone it Ǥ Over the past year, OSAC has continued to work as a facilitator to present the arts and to encourage and support those who work with the presentation of the arts. Programs that assist presenters of the arts continue, as does the work of the individual arts councils: Ǥ ǡơ understand that the program may create future volunteers for other arts organizations and recognize the importance of that as well. The success of the Performing Arts program has led to a similar mentorship program, based on the Curatorial experience, being launched for the Visual Arts program. The volunteers, or Owners, of OSAC bring a very large and varied selection of arts programming to the people of Saskatchewan. A quick look at the infographic in the middle of this annual report shows the reach and impact a small Ǥ ǡ Saskatchewan/Koncerts for Kids are an important, and often only, link to the arts for many in rural Saskatchewan. The fact that artists who tour as part of any OSAC program will receive fair and negotiated fees for their work is a point of pride for all members of OSAC. OSAC gives its assurance to recognize and welcome Indigenous and new Canadians and to be inclusive of these groups. ǡ Ǥ area in the coming years. I am proud of my small contribution to the arts. I am more proud of the role that OSAC plays and has played over the years in taking art to the communities and giving it more exposure. I am most proud of all of the people that make this ǡǡơǤ Board of Directors left to right: (standing) Barbara McKeand, Denise Holt, Treena Redman, Kathy Collins, Crystal Thorburn, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Gwen Mottram; (seated) John Daisley, Tim Raine (chair) Executive Director Report Kevin Korchinski As I started to write this for the Annual Report, it struck funding directly through SaskCulture. It was also the ƪ Ƥ Ƥ one of these reports in 2008. At the time, I used a quote application, and will now be used for all follow up reports. We were pleased to get the results in mid-March and that outside of swimming like a duck – calm on what can be seen but paddling like mad underneath. While the years to be valuable for the people of Saskatchewan. OSAC was ǡ awarded increases via the culture section of the lottery paddling to make everything appear calm. trust in each of the three years the funding was approved for. This stable funding will allow the organization to continue to work with the OSAC membership and artists Ƥ from around the province and across the country. OSAC membership. Zoë Schneider, Catherine Tomczak, Skip Ƥ Taylor, Rosemary McCallum, Michael Buehler and of years from Canadian Heritage, through the Canadian course Marianne Woods are tireless proponents of the Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF). These dollars assist with Showcase, travel to conferences, and in support for the the Arts Council volunteers easier while bringing the best Arts Councils. artists and exhibitions to those OSAC communities. The next year will see some changes, as Zoë will be moving The Board of Directors held two very successful Regional to Saskatoon and a 60% workweek while completing Meetings during 2015-2016 in Kamsack and Estevan, as her Master’s degree at the University of Saskatchewan. well as continuing a Table Talk session during Showcase As well, Michael left OSAC to move to Montreal with 2015, where Arts Councils had the opportunity to meet his partner. This gave OSAC the opportunity to create with their Board Liaisons. The feedback from both the a full time position – Visual and Media Arts Assistant Board and those in attendance was very positive. This type Coordinator - and to welcome Diana Chisholm to the of Board Linkage, where the Board of Directors get direct OSAC team. feedback from the Arts Councils, is very important for future planning that we do for the organization. Current February 1 was the deadline for the 3 year Global Funding initiatives such as the Strategic and Succession planning ǤơȂ sessions came directly from these meetings. Ƥ This page: Kevin with Margot Holmes and Cameron Smillie at Showcase 2015 Opposite page: Eric Harper at Showcase 2015 Another initiative that began this year was OSAC fellow Life Member Marguerite Gallaway speak about Ǥ the role, and importance, that OSAC had in Evelyn’s life it Ǧ really brought home the impact this organization has in that draw on the lottery trust for funding, as OSAC does, the day to day lives of so many people in Saskatchewan. to implement a program to ensure that Indigenous OSAC will soon be 50 and it is up to all of us involved Canadians as well as those new to our country are with the organization to make sure it continues to be an included in OSAC’s vision for the future. You will be important part of people’s lives for many years to come. hearing more about this in the coming months and Showcase 2017 will focus more on this initiative. As I have I was fortunate to represent OSAC at the National mentioned in past years, this will be an important factor in securing funding in the future from the Lottery Trust. where over 20 Arts Networks from across the country representing hundreds, if not thousands of presenters, The OSAC Board of nine committed and dedicated arts councils, agents and artists met for two days. It was volunteers, more than capably led by Chair Tim Raine, inspiring to spend time with colleagues and to be part of a may see some new faces arrive every year or so, but the conversation that may help the sector in future years.