A non-profit Society established 1998
Vision
The Coast Cultural Alliance is a network of arts, cultural and heritage groups and individuals working to enhance the economic vitality of the Sunshine Coast through cultural sector development and cultural tourism.
Mission
To encourage and participate in the development of employment and business opportunities for the arts, cultural and heritage sectors on the Sunshine Coast.
Values
In order to maintain the apolitical, nonpartisan and respectful intent of alliance, the Coast Cultural Alliance will be governed by a set of guidelines defined as the Basis for Unity.
Basis For Unity
Cultural services are an essential component in our community’s standard of living and economic well-being. The Coast Cultural Alliance will facilitate and encourage community Arts and Culture involvement and economic development by providing and coordinating cultural opportunities. We seek to encourage and support individuals and organizations to develop their full potential in their chosen endeavours. The Coast Cultural Alliance will represent all segments of our community equally, and without bias.
Therefore:
- We seek to support existing services on the Sunshine Coast, and to assist new endeavours.
- We provide nonjudgmental support for all the arts and culture on the Sunshine Coast.
- We do not get politically involved or take sides in any issues. As an organization we are apolitical and non-partisan.
- We do not necessarily represent the values or politics of either our sponsors, members or clients.
- We do reserve the right to warn that a work may be offensive to some and the right not to support work that is in contravention of the Canadian Criminal Code.
- We also believe that each person involved with the CCA as a member, volunteer, staff or board member:
- can make a unique contribution to the CCA and will be given the opportunity to do so
- must respect the philosophy, objectives, policies and procedures of the CCA;
- will endeavour to work cooperatively with each other in furtherance of the CCA’s goal of a successful arts economy and strong and healthy arts and culture community
- We will practice cooperative problem-solving, respect for individual differences and mutual support in the day-to-day activities of the CCA
- We understand that as the CCA grows, this Basis For Unity may also grow and change but its importance to the alliance will always remain vital.
Mission Statement
The Coast Cultural Alliance was established in 1998 as a non-profit society to enhance the arts and cultural tourism economies of the Sunshine Coast and to project a single, strong voice for local culture. The Alliance includes groups and individuals from the visual, performing, literary, and media arts on the Sunshine Coast.
Through nonpartisan collaboration, partnerships and representation, all arts groups and individuals may participate in such services as:
- Collective marketing and promotional campaigns
- Training programs in marketing, communications technology & entrepreneurial skills
- Listings in and access to a cultural & skills-based database
- Access to computer center and resource library
- Dialogue with purchasers, supporters or producers of local culture, and
- Increased local and global visibility and recognition
In order to maintain the apolitical, nonpartisan and respectful intent of alliance, the Coast Cultural Alliance will be governed by a set of guidelines defined as the Basis for Unity.
Whenever possible, all marketing, training, or technical contracts will be linked with Sunshine Coast businesses and members of the Alliance.
What we cannot do alone, we can do together. In finding commonality of purpose, the Coast Cultural Alliance hopes to provide services more effectively than many individuals and organizations working separately — such savings of energy and monies to be directed back to the artist, performer, or organization.
Purposes of the Society
- To enhance the arts and cultural tourist economies of the Sunshine Coast.
- To project a single, strong voice for local culture.
- To encourage communication and cooperation within the Sunshine Coast’s visual and performing arts organizations and individuals, various levels of government, funding bodies, businesses and foundations.
- To assist artists, performers, and cultural workers to maximize their potential by offering ongoing education in marketing, communications technology, and entrepreneurial skills.
- To assist amateur to professional groups and individuals with collective marketing, promotion, and to provide resources for that assistance.
- To, whenever possible, utilize Sunshine Coast businesses and members of the Alliance for marketing, training or technical purposes.
- To acquire, hold and dispose of any real or personal property in furtherance of the purposes of the society.
- To apply for, raise and receive grants, fees, gifts, legacies, devises and bequests and to hold, administer, invest, expend or deal with same in furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
- To do all such other acts and things as are conducive to the attainment of the purposes of the Society.
For a PDF of the Coast Cultural Alliance Constitution and Bylaws click here
For a PDF of the Society Act Bylaws click here
What do Arts & Culture contribute to a community besides creative & social benefits?
- A healthy business environment
- A growing tax base and attractive, environmentally & socially friendly new business
- Employment opportunities, especially for younger residents
- Quality education & lifelong learning opportunities … to name a few.
2019/2020 Board of Directors
Verna Chan
Gibsons
Shelley Harrison Rae
Sandy Hook
Rick Harmer
Garden Bay
Deanne Mineau
Sechelt
Paula O’Brien
Gibsons
Carol Stewart
Gibsons
Leanne Turnbull
Gibsons, BC
Linda Williams
Sechelt
Daniel Kingsbury Music For Youth
As a Grade 12 student at Chatelech, Daniel created the Waking Life Records project. He brought his musical friends together to fundraise by producing a double CD of original music and holding performances.
Daniel’s purpose was to create a lasting fund to help youth in their musical endeavours. In 2005, Daniel and Matt Posnikoff presented $8,243 to Sunshine Coast Community Services Society to start the fund.
The Coast Cultural Alliance had funding from radio station CKAY FM, so in 2009 the funds were combined to establish the $10,000 Music for Youth Endowment at the Sunshine Coast Community Foundation. In less than five years, the fund doubled to $20,000.
After Daniel’s passing in 2015, the fund was renamed the Daniel Kingsbury Music for Youth Endowment. The Community Foundation matched donations up to $5,000, and over $10,000 was added to the fund. Further donations brought the fund to nearly $40,000 in 2016. Grants to young musicians are funded annually by interest earnings from the endowment.
Through an annual application process, a young musician is selected to receive the grant. Applications are open to Sunshine Coast youth aged 13 to 19 who have an interest in creating, performing or recording music, and need financial help to fulfill their goals.
Over the past six years, the fund has made possible the purchase of an instrument, music lessons, studio recording, aboriginal drum making, and participation in youth orchestra. Daniel always included his friends in his projects, and selflessly shared the credit. They describe him as encouraging and inspiring, getting people to believe in themselves and their power to contribute. He had vision, and the passion and ability to move ideas from dream to reality.
History of the CCA
History of Coast Cultural Alliance to 2019: A volunteer run non-profit Society founded October 1998
First gathering of interest in 1998 at the Butcher shop in Sechelt
- Developed Basis for Unity (see details above)
- 1999/2000 SEARCH program – Employment and business skills for artists – HRDC
- 2001-2003 Artesia Initiative
- Cultural Tourism (trade shows, SCCEDP, SCT – one of the founding members of SCTP)
- Artesia Tours (Malibu Arts Retreat, Arts on the Waterfront, etc.)
- Arts Inventory
- “Art as a Living” workshop series
- ePaedia (learning arts on-line) (in partnership with Malaspina College, Powell River)
- Artesia Gallery (volunteer/not part of funding) – 1st in Molly’s Lane then downstairs in old GPAG gallery in Gibsons
Transition
- collapse of funding (2004)
- closed gallery in Gibsons (2005) and moved to ‘virtual’ organization with sub office at Rockwood Centre, Sechelt
- reassessment (Basis of Unity) & evolution of Board to current configuration
- Website (original site in 1998 moved to a interactive database format 2005)
- conversion to database driven site
- now an excellent communication & management tool
- SC Regional Cultural Strategic Scan/Plan – leading force in it’s development (2006-2007)
- moved out of Rockwood office to home office 2009
PRESENT DAY:
- Website (24/7 – always fresh, saves volunteer hours interactive)
- E-newsletter (weekly to all members plus over 1300 ‘friends of CCA’)
- Arts & Cultural printed calendar (distributed monthly since 1999 – now in colour)
- Coffeehouse (monthly fall to spring since 2003)
- Purple Banner Studio & Gallery Guide (yearly since 2001 – 20,000 copies in 2018)
- Creation of Music for Youth Endowment Fund 2009 ($10,000, now up to $43,000 in 2018)
- changed to Daniel Kingsbury Music for Youth Endowment in 2015 – yearly grants given to youth
- Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, annual, 2010-75 venues, 8,000 visits, $30,000 sales … 2018-165 venues, 46,000 visits, $440,000 sales.
- Advocacy (perpetual)
CCA Membership 2019:
- 343 members includes: 54 businesses, 49 non-profit organizations, 240 individuals
Current Members of:
- Tourism Vancouver – allows extensive brochure racking
- Sunshine Coast Tourism
- Arts BC
- BC Alliance for Arts and Culture
- Sunshine Coast Arts Council
- Powell River Arts Council
- Sunshine Coast Volunteer Centre
Affiliations with:
- Sunshine Coast Community Foundation
- Sunshine Coast Community Services
- Sunshine Coast Resource Centre
- Gibsons Chamber of Commerce
- Downtown Sechelt Business Association
- Gibsons Visitors Centre
- Sechelt Visitors Centre
- Powell River Visitors Centre
- Malaspina Arts Council
- … many others
