by Mary P. Brooke    |         April 23, 2010

Low-key it 'twas in Sooke this past week for the BC-wide Arts & Culture Week. While much is going on beneath the surface, there was little awareness in town during the week of the coming-and-going of the "vital contribution that arts and culture make in learning and in life".  There were no performances, art walks, exhibitions or workshops as suggested the by 11-year-old Assembly of BC Arts Councils. www.bcartsweek.org 

However, a free Family Arts Fair will be held at SEAPARC this Saturday, April 24 (10 am to 3 pm) -- www.seaparc.ca  -- coordinated largely by Debbie Clarkston and Deb Clay through the Sooke Community Arts Council. In its 4th year, the event is popular especially for families with young children.

In some circles there was an announcement about a "cultural mapping" project called ArtsWave, spearheaded by Evonne Black and managed by Rebecca George through the Sooke Fine Arts Society. The primary activity is a Sooke-wide survey about culture, arts and artists with responses due from the public and artists by May 15, to be followed by a public forum in mid-June and a final report online at the Sooke Fine Arts website by June 30. The survey is available online on the District of Sooke website:  www.sooke.ca

The local Sooke Community Arts Council (SCAC), chaired by Marion DesRochers of Sooke Fine Art Gallery, further did their bit at their April 13 monthly meeting by issuing support funding to the upcoming annual Sooke Fine Arts Show ($1000) and the Taste of Sooke event ($500) which is associated with the show in late July. Volunteers with the SCAC are again this year organizing Art in the Park for a weekend in August, featuring displays of art and crafted items for sale as well as music and dance on the new performance stage at Ed Mcgregor Park. www.sookecommunityarts.com  

The recently formed Sooke Literary Association continues to formulate their goals for 2010-2011, with a further planning meeting coming up Monday, April 26. www.sookeliteraryassociation.org

The Sooke Scribblers, a long-standing group headed by Shirley Skidmore, gathers to discuss writing and how to become a writer; the group is known in Sooke for their visits to schools and holding writing contents (no website available).

In its continuing role of literary leadership, MapleLine Magazine was in press production this past week, heading for a May 5 release date. Articles in the summer issue feature these leaders who are adept with the written word: environmental leader Guy Dauncey, community planning consultant Gerard LeBlanc, and John Horgan, MLA. This week the MapleLine Journalism Program writers met to discuss the importance of reporting about the arts, and delved into some techniques for achieving that. 

Recently the Sooke Program of the Arts Committee (a committee of the District of Sooke, presently comprised of Terrie Moore, Sande Cummings, Marion DesRochers, Shirley Skidmore, Liz Johnson, and Councillor Sheila Beech) has identified five goals that they will work towards in the next three years (2010-2012), with a list of action items to achieve those goals:

1. Implement public art projects (including finding a location for the 'Village Fish' that was part of the Olympic Ozone display and painting the Sooke River Bridge).  2. Complete administrative tasks (including funding pitches to BC Hydro, EPCOR, BC Transit and UBCM as well as creating a database of potential public art jurors). 3. Improve ties with Sooke's business community.  4. Enhance relationships and partnerships with local organizations.  5. Advocate for a Community Arts Centre (including the possibility of establishing a 'building fund' for an arts centre).   MM