Our Mission

Vision: An enduring and thriving island artscape for everyone.

Mission: To activate, enhance and inspire the community's cultural vitality through collaboration, leadership and service.

Motto: Working for the Arts!

Mandate:

• Promote awareness of and participation in the arts.

• Mentor artist and arts organizations to achieve excellence and cultivate a vibrant and sustainable cultural landscape.

• Build the foundation for public and private support for the arts.

• Serve as the cultural voice of the community, advocating on its behalf with government and industry stakeholders.

• Be the go-to place for information and resources on arts and culture.

• Work in collaboration with community partners and arts organizations in delivering high-quality and diverse artistic programming.

• Facilitate culture-led economic and community development.

• Offer the Healing Power of Arts program for the health and well-being of all Gabriolans.

• Foster pride in the Isle of the Arts!

Gabriola Island enjoys and nurtures the sixth highest concentration of artists in Canada (5.8% as compared to the national average of 0.8%; Hills Strategies Study, 2011). We proudly call this place the “Isle of the Arts.” Every day is a celebration arts and culture in this community of writers, actors, poets, painters, dancers, musicians, sculptors and potters.

About Gabriola Arts Council

The importance of the arts to community development and individual wellbeing has been well proven. The Gabriola Arts Council supports artists in all mediums and at all levels, while ensuring that local residents have plenty of opportunities to engage with art and artists, and that off-island communities are aware of our rich artistic resources. We are committed to developing an actively creative culture on Gabriola, providing opportunities for people to engage in the arts in a variety of forms, while also being community leaders in culture-led economic development.

GAC succeeds at providing creative and cultural services to and engaging the local community. We produce three annual events—Isle of the Arts Festival, Gabriola Theatre Festival, and Thanksgiving Studio Tour and Festival—as well as the Healing Power of Art program.