By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Aug. 18, 2012
Long-time Squamish resident and freelance commercial artist, Jan Durocher, has been elected as the chair of the Squamish Arts Council (SAC).
The board held its meeting on Aug. 8th, a month after 13 members were elected in an emotionally charged meeting at the arts council building.
Toby Jaxon, Zoe Evamy, and Stan Matwychuk were elected as vice-chairs on the Aug.8th meeting.
Linda Bachman is the new secretary at the arts council, and Andrea Hoff is the new secretary.
Outgoing chair Krisztina Egyed stays on the board.
Andrea Hoff, Freda Hoff, Linda Bachman, Leilani Beckett, Breanna Wilson, Doreen Ramus, Martin Vseticka, and Martin Thorne were some other members who were elected to the SAC board on July 11.
Newly elected SAC Chair Jan Durocher said the organisation will strive to be inclusive.
“We have yet to do any strategic planning, but we will go back to the table and create a list of stakeholders.”
She said the new SAC is currently reviewing all information from the previous board to ensure it’s ‘current, accessible, and relevant’.
Egyed didn’t return calls or emails for comment.
Newly-elected vice-chair Zoe Evamy said she is ‘very excited’ about the arts council and the future of arts in Squamish.
“We have a strong board with great energy and willingness to collaborate,” she said.
SAC is planning on creating a community venue that would help the lay the foundation for arts advocacy.
This symposium, the details of which would be announced soon, is meant to being arts groups together.
“Art Groups that are not members will be invited to meet the new Board and discuss arts and culture in Squamish and beyond,” Evamy said.
Toby Jaxon, newly elected SAC vice-chair, said she is hoping to ‘push the doors wide open’ to invite more arts and culture groups to be active members on the team.
“You are definitely going to notice more of the Squamish Arts Council around this town.”
