BY ELI KLASNER
Community Arts Council
First, I wish to thank everyone for attending our 2024 AGM earlier today. As always, it was wonderful to be together with so many of our amazing arts and culture sector members who do so much for our community, and to hear about their recent successes and upcoming events and programs.
I would also like to thank our amazing staff and board of directors for their faithful and tireless work in guiding and governing our organization. A special acknowledgement goes to Karen Heathman who has just finished a three-year period as our President and who will stay on as our Past President. In recognition of her many years of service to the local arts community, the CAC board will be renaming our annual arts bursaries program to the “Karen Heathman Arts Education Fund.” I announced that I will be making a $5,000 donation to the fund to help boost its re-launch.
Lastly, I also announced today that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the CAC, to take effect during Q1-2 of 2025. It has been the experience of a lifetime helping where I could over the past seven years. It is my hope to help guide the succession planning, recruitment and onboarding of the new executive director. I also intend to continue to champion the new Studio 2880 Redevelopment Project, and continue my advocacy for a new arts and entertainment complex in our downtown civic core.
Next to that, sadly, I will also be dedicating a lot of my time and resources, like many Jews in Canada, to combatting the rampant anti-semitism that is currently tearing through our country, including in the arts and culture sector. But that won’t stop me from also continuing to support the many causes and organizations, especially in arts and culture, that are dear to my heart.
As always, I look forward to seeing you and chatting with you whenever I can over the next few months.