The Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre is excited to announce our 5th Annual Fall Fundraiser, taking place on September 12, 2026 accompanied by an online art auction through Levis Fine Art which opens September 14 and closes September 26 with all proceeds directly supporting our sculpture park, artist-in-residence program, workshops and facilities. 

Whether you are attending our event in-person or want to support us from an online platform, your donations directly support artist residencies, educational programming, conservation of our 20-acre sculpture park, and annual events that make contemporary art accessible to all. 

Make your donation count! Donations towards this year's fall fundraiser will be matched up to $100k. The more you donate, the more KOAC raises towards its artist-in-residence program, public programs, park improvements and more! 

Who we are:

Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre (KOAC) is a publicly accessible, non-profit arts centre & sculpture park set in nature, dedicated to hosting artist residencies along side contemporary arts programs and exhibitions. 

Each year, KOAC connects with thousands of visitors, artists, and supporters through exhibitions, residencies, workshops, and digital engagement. Our audience is united by curiosity, creativity, and a shared belief in the power of art in nature. Your donations make our operations possible, and help uphold the legacies of Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe. 

If you'd like to attend the event on September 12, please purchase your tickets via Eventbrite here. 

What your donation supports:

Artists in Residence

Support professional development opportunities for emerging and established artists through KOAC’s Artist in Residence program. Sponsorship enables artists to dedicate studio time to focused creative research, contributing to innovation in contemporary art while engaging with the public through free public programming

Future Facilities & Visitor Experience

Contribute to the long-term development of KOAC’s site, including plans for an accessible gallery, welcome centre, and education space. Sponsorship helps advance the founders’ vision by improving visitor experience, expanding learning opportunities, and strengthening KOAC’s capacity to serve the community year-round.

Park Stewardship & Site Care

Support the ongoing care of KOAC’s 20-acre sculpture park, including landscape stewardship, pathway maintenance, and ecological site management. Sponsorship helps ensure the park remains safe, accessible, and welcoming for artists, visitors, and community groups, while sustaining

Sculpture & Collection Legacy

Help preserve and maintain KOAC’s significant collection of outdoor sculptures, safeguarding works by contemporary artists for future generations. Sponsorship supports conservation, documentation, and long-term planning that strengthens the park’s legacy as a cornerstone of Western Canada’s contemporary art landscape.

About the in-person event:

This year's garden gala fundraiser, Surface and Sow, features a special exhibition co-curated by Ash Slemming and Shelby Charlesworth, an exclusive preview of KOAC's annual Fine Art Auction, presented in partnership with LEVIS Fine Art Auctions and Appraisals, hors d'oeuvres and refreshments by Salon Catering, live DJ music and an engaging art activity in the gardens. Auction proceeds and event ticket sales support KOAC's artist residencies, public programs, and the stewardship of its unique sculpture park and ecologically significant landscape.

The exhibition brings together artworks from Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe's personal collection and studio archives, revealing a living archive where collection becomes cultivation. Through artworks, archival discoveries, and studio materials, Surface and Sow explores how creative ideas take root, evolve, and continue to shape new ways of seeing, making, and belonging.

Whether you're a longtime supporter or visiting KOAC for the first time, this is a rare opportunity to experience works and archival materials that are not often publicly accessible while celebrating KOAC's past, present, and future.

We hope to invite supporters to help make this our most successful KOAC fundraiser yet!

If you'd like to connect or find additional ways to support KOAC, please email community@koartscentre.org to start the conversation.