LOWAC December 2023 Newsletter & AGM Report

LOWAC held it’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, November 28 via ZOOM. Many thanks to those who attended.

The overall message for the meeting was that we are in need of membership and support from members and participating artists to continue to stage an event at the scale of ArtsFest in downtown Kenora and LOWAC’s ongoing operations.

We have applied for grants to fully fund ArtsFest, but require membership to cover some of our operating costs, which include our website hosting, storage, insurance and bookkeeping — all essential to operate events, programming and meet our non-profit obligations. Your membership is due for renewal by the end of 2023. Please renew now at https://lowac.ca/membership.

We are currently looking for a new president, vice-president, membership and ArtsFest Chairs. The two chair roles are not in LOWAC’s by-laws and the Board can likely integrate the membership role into the ongoing activities of the directors. The ArtsFest Chair role is also handled in part by the event coordinator, if we are successful in getting funding for that role, but a lead LOWAC liaison and planning committee are still needed to support the coordinator.

The President’s role is critical and we are still accepting nominations. In the interim, past president Leanne Fournier will continue to assist with grant writing and communications and the LOWAC Board will determine how other duties will be handled.

A summary is included below. The full Annual Report and Meeting Minutes are available at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EDQoRO0YD00tK4SkDrqnMAC7FnQQRrT6?usp=drive_link

Reports

• Treasurer’s Report
  • 2022 Income statement
    • Total revenue $101,575.23
    • Total Expense $99,916.90
    • Net income $1,658.90
  • 2022 Balance Sheet
    • Total asset $12,460.48
    • Total equity $11,843.23
    • Liabilities and equity $12,460.48
  • Interim Income Statement was also presented (see Minutes)
    • Fluctuations between numbers for this years vs. last year are due to last year’s ArtsFest event being a 2-day event vs. 1-day event this year.
    • Ashi noted that some grants are still currently outstanding at this time.
    • Accounting & legal fees for this year include multiple years of T2 filings (at a cost of $1,800) to get us caught up (2013-2022).
  • 2024 Budget
    • Leanne touched on the budget for the upcoming year indicating that just over $65,000 will be required for a two-day ArtsFest and operating expenses. Grant applications have been submitted for the Canadian Heritage Fund, Ontario Arts Council and Kenora and Lake of the Woods Community Foundation (KLOWCF). KLOWCF has already awarded $10,000.
      
• Membership Report
  • Over 50 members and 3 lifetime members.
  • Decrease of 20 members from previous year (2022) – due to the 2-day ARTSFEST event last year, which brought in more members.
  • Several long-term members also did not renew in 2023, which is a concern.
  • For 2024:
    • 10 memberships have renewed so far.
    • Membership fee to remain $30 for the next year.
  • Patron of the Arts
    • Introduced last year for those that wish to provide greater support to LOWAC and the arts in Kenora. Donations gratefully accepted. Read more at https://lowac.ca/membership.

2023 Priorities

Following are the priorities given to us by our members at our 2022 AGM. Leanne spoke to how most of these priorities were addressed. Those not addressed, including more active fundraising, more membership drives, and buskers for ArtsFest were due to lack of capacity and space.

1. Focus on ArtsFest as our flagship event:

• Members enthusiastically support presenting ARTSFEST in 2023, at The Muse – cultural hub, more magical, more creative, less like a regular market.
• Suggestion to have a one-day event to reduce resources and expenses, and potentially attract artists who prefer to commit to one day.
• Generally preferred to have as a destination event/not part of a downtown market.
• Add buskers, more street signage.

2. Fundraising

• Suggestion for ArtsFest 2023  (which had low response to fundraising in 2022) to be more visible about fundraising… having hosts walk around between performers with tip jar; be a little more overt about our need to raise funds. Maybe have a silent auction/auction of some form with portion of proceeds going to LOWAC.
• Suggestion to ask membership for their fundraising ideas for LOWAC.

3. LOWAC’s future

• Find other ways to fundraise that aren’t entirely grant dependent.
• Focus on attracting more members and volunteers – including Board members.

2023 Accomplishments

• LOWAC achieved almost $42,000 in funding for ArtsFest.
• ArtsFest was presented July 15, 2023 on The Muse grounds with approximately 900 attendees before the rain hit at 4 p.m.!
• Maintained pre-2022 membership levels.
• LOWAC issued a fairly regular monthly newsletter.
• LOWAC participated in 2 Matiowski Markets in advance of ArtsFest.
• Provided facepainting at Coney Island Music Festival.
• Achieved non-profit CRA tax compliance by filing T2s for 2013 to 2022.
• Issued two $500 scholarships: Colby Wallace at St. Thomas Aquinas, Trinity Tacknyk at Beaver Brae.
• Maintained LOWAC member art displays at Paterson Medical Clinic and the Kenora Airport.
• Was active in social media with community updates calls and for artists – primarily Facebook and Instagram.

Activity Report Highlights

We decided not to continue with Arts@Home this year, but continued with ARTSFEST as the flagship event.

ArtsFest was reduced to a 1-day event in 2023 as a result of last year’s AGM discussion around man-power and expenses. Presented with great success on Saturday, July 15, 2023 on The Muse Grounds:

• Main goal of the event was to be free and accessible to all.
• Event coordinator was Shauna DeGagné who did an outstanding job.
• Event host was Daniella Tsentorous.
• New event logo was designed by Tersoo Tsevende.
• Primary grant funders included: OAC $12,750, NOHFC $11,700, LWRCF $7500, KHA $6000
• Business sponsors: T-shirt sponsor Kenora Honda $1500, $500 KidZone sponsor Kenora Home Hardware, $500 Main Stage sponsor Northern Sounds & Systems, $200 each from Ronning Law Office and Out of the Woods Counselling.
• In-kind donations from: LOW Cottage Guide, Wake Marketing, World of Water, City of Kenora, Lana’s Kitchen, 89.5 and Q104 FM
•  Event included 4 main stage performers, 19 exhibitors of all ages and stages (a couple of mother/daughter pairs in attendance).
• KidZone – Very successful and busy all day; many thanks to Carolyne Lynch who was the main coordinator and her team of amazing high school volunteers.
  Susan Bulman gets a shout out for her all day watercolour station. 
  Flower crowns and other freetime activities super popular. 
• Aimee Baldwin and and Vic Moss’s scheduled activities were also popular.
• Kenora Writer’s group workshop in the studio well attended.
• Face-painting very busy and attendees and volunteers noted that it could have its own tent.
• Community partners – KACL, writing love letters to community also a positive activity.
• Worked with Kenora Moving Forward to invite those who are displaced (from the grounds) to participate in the event.
• Sold the remaining LOWAC paddles, and did a raffle (fundraising).
• Snack/concessions also worthwhile with some funds raised.
• We had a total of 50 volunteers for the day, which seemed to be the ideal amount.
• We had some awesome high school volunteers, some working toward their volunteer hours
• Green Room was run by Stephane Chale and was greatly appreciated, kudos to Stephanie who has agreed to lead it again in 2024.
• Lots of positive feedback. Vendors really appreciated the home baked goods and attention to every detail. Attendees liked the intimacy of the location with a focus on the arts and arts activities.
• 9 planning committee members with thanks to Shauna DeGagné, Carolyne Lynch, Stephanie Chale, Helena Devins, Shelby Smith, Ralph Rogers, Marylou Goodwin, Aimee Baldwin, Leanne Fournier
• Tentative dates for next year: July 13 & 14, 2024.
• Currently opting for a 2-day event so we are eligible for a number of grants that have that requirement (Canadian Heritage and Experience Ontario). Final funding will determine our approach.

Discussion

Arts program – Keewatin Public School – Presented by Shayla Smith

New program to start an in-depth “artsploration”. An opportunity to work with established artists in as wide of a range of disciplines as possible to find what “fits” them.  They are looking to bring a professional artist in 3-4 times per year, 8 weeks at a time (ideally, but flexible, could break up into 2 x 4 week sessions for example), 1 session per week with each of the classes in the school.  Artists will be paid. Budgeting $20-25k per year. Those interested in participating can contact Shayla at: shayla.e.s@gmail.com. Shelby Smith willing to provide mentorship to those who want to practice presenting through volunteering as a program assistant or presenting their own smaller scale programs first at the Art Centre.  She can be reached at: ssmith@themusekenora.ca

Group Discussion

LOWAC Challenges

• Need for officers and directors.
• Volunteers and committee chairs.
• Fundraising – beyond just grants.
• Strengthening partnerships.

LOWAC Opportunities

• ArtsFest 2024
• Fundraising
• Grant applications
• Social media/communication
• Lara suggested having a TikTok account for LOWAC.
• Membership
• Volunteers
• Member artist database on www.lowac.ca
• Aimee (in an email) had suggested organizing this by discipline to make it easier to navigate.

Elections

Remaining as directors:

Secretary – Shelby Smith

Director/Member at Large – Helena Devins

Director/Member at Large – Aimee Baldwin

Director/Member at Large – Jocelyn Byng-Campbell

Past President – Leanne Fournier

Nominations & elections

President – No nominations

Vice-President – No nominations

Membership Chair – No nominations

ArtsFest Chair – No nominations

All elections are for 3 year terms.

Nominated/accepted

Director/Member at Large – Lara Stovern

Director/Member at Large – Stephane Chale

Other roles not filled will be discuss at the next board meeting. Nominations are still open.

LOWAC 2023 AGM Annual Report & Minutes

The AGM Annual Report and minutes have been posted at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EDQoRO0YD00tK4SkDrqnMAC7FnQQRrT6?usp=drive_link

Wishing everyone all the joys of the season and a bright and creative New Year!!