Fall Newsletter Update
Welcome to fall—my favourite season. With softer rains and cooler temperatures, it is a wonderful time to create, visit a gallery, enjoy a performance, explore new foods, plant fall containers, or follow wherever your creativity takes you.
Arts on the Avenue
Thank you to everyone who helped make Arts on the Avenue possible for the past 27 years. This year’s event brought a strong turnout, more than 60 vendors, great music, a beer garden, food trucks, a children’s tent, demonstrations, and our first-ever flash mob.
I enjoyed speaking with vendors throughout the day, and many shared positive feedback about both sales and attendance. We are always amazed by how much a small, dedicated group can make happen.
Website Update
Our redesigned website is performing well. Thank you to Christine Earl, Ora Steyn, and Geeks on the Beach for their work on the redesign.
Reporting period: July 30–August 26
- Top page: Art Exhibitions in Ladysmith
- Engagement rate: 32.9%, showing that members and patrons are using the site for information and class registration
- Website speed: We noticed the site was running a bit slowly and worked on improvements this week
Where are users coming from: Top numbers
- 268 Vancouver
- 257 Nanaimo
- 142 Ladysmith
- 48 Calgary
- 46 Victoria
- 44 Chemainus
Gallery Hours and Volunteers
We plan to remain open seven days a week, but September is a busy vacation month for many regular gallery volunteers. Kathy Holmes, Francesca, and Sophie are helping ensure coverage while Kim Perry is away September 12–19. If you have not volunteered in a while, this would be a wonderful time to sign up.
- Open daily: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Closed on all statutory holidays
Waterfront Construction Update
Progress continues at the waterfront site. The classroom, printmakers’ space, upstairs gallery, and administrative offices are drywalled, with painting expected to finish this week in Cloud White, the same colour used in the downtown gallery.
- Flooring has started upstairs using a high-grade commercial material that will be used throughout the space.
- The upstairs gallery floor required additional levelling because of uneven areas.
- Cabinet plans are underway, and the laminate colour selected is Cashew Butter.
- The board will hold its first strategic planning meeting next week to discuss future Community Gallery uses.
As always, your questions, ideas, and feedback are appreciated.
Thank you
Andrea Rosato-Taylor, President of the Arts Council, 250-268-1313
