ARTSCO Names New Executive Director

The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan has named Katie Brennan as its new executive director.

Brennan joins ARTSCO after four years as the curator of the Lake Country Art Gallery.

In an open letter posted on the ARTSCO website, she said she wants to position ARTSCO as a service group for "art makers" and art lovers.

“I want to see ARTSCO support and amplify the great work already being done by local artists, musicians, writers and dancers," said Brennan. "Let’s build on what is already here”.

The new executive director is holding open office hours from 1 to 6 p.m. Oct 19 and 26 and Nov. 2 and 9, and is inviting anyone with ideas about how the Arts Council could be of even greater service to the Central Okanagan, to contact her with their ideas.

Brennan served on the ARTSCO board of directors in 2013, during which time she conceived the 60 Artists in 60 spaces project to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Arts Council. 

Holding an MFA degree in studio art from the University of Guelph and a BFA, also in studio art, from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Brennan has taught in UBC Okanagan’s visual art department and maintains strong ties to the university here. In 2013 she co-curated an off-campus showcase of student work in downtown Kelowna and this past summer she was part of UBCO’s inaugural summer artist in residence program.

Brennan is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Okanagan Art Review, an online magazine and hub for visual arts in the area.

ARTSCO presents the annual Okanagan Arts Awards and the Mad Hatter pop-up/temporary art exhibition. The council also runs the Artscape program, which places work by local artists in venues such as the downtown Kelowna public library, Okanagan College's library and Cottonwoods Extended Care Home.

Brennan can be reached at 250-861-4123 or email director@artsco.ca.