The Cowichan Lake Arts Centre celebrates their first year anniversary this month after holding their official soft opening on April 27, 2024.
"We celebrated our one-year anniversary of signing the lease during our AGM in February," said CLAC president Loretta Puckrin. "It was a short AGM and a wonderful party. Having a fixed base for our members and workshops has been a goal for most of our existence and it is, although a lot of work still, a wonderful feeling of accomplishment."
The centre, which is a vibrant hub of creativity run by artists located in Youbou, also serves the Cowichan Lake area, Nitinat, Honeymoon Bay, Mesachie, Skutz Falls, and Lake Cowichan. As an artist-cooperative, the centre is committed to supporting local artists and ensuring that the majority of the sales go back into their hands. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just beginning, CLAC welcomes all to their diverse and creative environment.
"The best part for me has been the sense of ownership by the members," said Puckrin. "Not only has it taken a village to get it underway but it has taken new input and creative energy to re-envision the space to keep it constantly changing and growing. Outside of the membership we have been well received by the Youbou community especially, even though the majority of our members are from outside of that community."
The new centre has also been a space to show the creative works of the students at Lake Cowichan Secondary, which was a huge success for all involved and especially gratifying for the students. They are planning to have another student show sometime before the summer.
"It was very interesting to note the reactions of some of our senior members to the art perspective of the students," said Puckrin. "A lot of emotion came out of that show — for the visitors. This year we hope to make it more of an experience and to build in some feedback for the young artists. As artists, whether it is literary or painting, we live on feedback as creating is a very solitary action."
CLAC, which is located right next door to Arise Coffee Shop formerly known as Cassy's Coffee House, features an art shop for local creators, an open studio where artists can create for free, and a venue for art exhibitions and music performances. They also offer a wide variety of reasonably priced workshops that cover a range of disciplines while catering to all skill levels. For more information on all the centre has in store for the year ahead visit www.cowichanartsandculture.org.
Puckrin said it has also been a joy to see the vision of some of CLAC's members come to life through the major changes that have been done to the store front since they first opened their doors around this time last year.
"When we first started we had no budget, and it was a struggle to ensure we had enough funds to guarantee our first year of rent," said Puckrin. "At the beginning, we repurposed display items which were donated and never thought about thinking of what we would like to have. Our objective was just to meet the targeted opening date. As we gained experience and had some time operating the facility, we had time to think. This led to changes that made the space successively more welcoming."
An individual one-year membership for CLAC is $20, and they offer lower rates for students, as well as bulk rates for families. Separate fees for workshops will vary based on the costs of the supplied materials. For more information email info@cowichanlakeartsandculture.org.
All are welcome to visit the CLAC from 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday, with the hope that patrons might leave with a piece of art that speaks to their heart.
"The main messages we would like them to take away is an appreciation for the diversity and talent in the Cowichan Lake area," said Puckrin. "We want them to feel at home in the space and free to look around without pressure. We would love them to explore our diverse offerings of workshops and share our creative spirit. Most of all we want them to feel a sense of enjoyment and uplifting of spirit — a sense of calm and peace that art can bring. When you consider that just over a year ago it was an idea that many said we could not accomplish and now it is a destination that has many repeat visitors — that is a great feeling. We have clients that tell us this is their first stop whenever they need to buy a gift. Other clients don’t have the money but enjoy the visit, and that is great as well. What is most exciting will be to see where the space is in another year."
