Setting up the plans for the next year of activities for Island Mountain Arts and the ArtsWells Festival is about to commence with force.
The not-for-profit arts agency based in Wells-Barkerville will hold its 2016 annual general meeting on Feb. 21, but since they have a reputation to uphold as a creativity boutique that punches in the industrial weight class, they will be offering a whole weekend of action leading into the business stuff that Sunday.
The first item on the agenda is 7 p.m. on Feb. 19 when Island Mountain Arts opens the ArtsWells Mini Murals Exhibition and Auction.
On Feb. 20, there are a few tickets left for the Wells International Gourmet Ski, an event led by the town's trail society. Participants cross-country ski around the Wells meadow and the rolling hills of the Cornish Mountain trail network. International cuisine is served at various pit stops along the way.
The day closes with the Mountain Film Festival happening at the Sunset Theatre at 7 p.m.
Then, on Feb. 21, the AGM gets going at the Island Mountain Arts gallery at 1 p.m. at 2323 Pooley St., prominently situated on the hamlet's historic main drag.
In order to be a voting member, an online form can be easily filled out with a fee of $20 for individuals and not-for-profit partners, or $30 for families and businesses.
Membership also entitles you to 20 per cent off merchandise in the gallery giftshop, discounts to the ArtsWells Festival and other special events, close communications on activities and issues, and reciprocal benefits at more than a dozen other arts and cultural locations across Western Canada.
Some of the key activities already on their upcoming schedule include painter Peter Corbett running a week-long mentored residency workshop in March, Scotland's master harp player Phamie Gow coming for their annual International Harp School in August, a songwriting workshop by Dan Bern in July, then the big event - their annual ArtsWells festival that brings in a heavy list of regional, national and international musicians, plus other artists too - takes place in July as well (July 29 to Aug. 1).
Discounted early bird tickets are already available for the ArtsWells Festival Of All Things Art. They are available online at the Ticketbreak website. Jazz star Coco Love Alcorn has been announced as the first disclosed headliner. Last year there were more than 100 music performers on the official roster, and hundreds of other kinds of artists as well.
Applications are open on the ArtsWells website for those wishing to be on the marquee in 2016.
