ArtWalk celebrates 25 years

For two days every September, the Lake Country Community Complex becomes a showcase for the Okanagan’s creative talent. Celebrating an outstanding 25 years of supporting the arts, the Lake Country ArtWalk, which will be held Sept. 8-9, will feature more than 200 visual and performing artists from the Okanagan.

The two-day festival entitled “Art of our Times: Celebrating 25 Years of ArtWalk” will also have children’s activities, live artist demonstrations, workshops, a live art auction and some great food and beverages.

I’ve enjoyed attending this event in the past and have had the privilege of purchasing some of the work of our talented artists.

Our cultural sector is not only an important economic generator but an important way to share with each other and the world our unique Canadian perspective and our immense and vibrant diversity.

That is why the government continues to support local events like ArtWalk, and our local art galleries and museums in both Lake Country and Kelowna. It is also the reason that our government has committed more than $3.2 billion of new funding to arts and culture and why it will continue to work with creators and artists to find new ways to strengthen this important component of our economy and our identity.

I encourage each and every one in our community to attend this outstanding annual event and discover the great creative talent we have here in the Okanagan.

More information can be found at www.lakecountryartwalk.ca .

Visiting Ministers and Pacific Caucus Last week a number of cabinet ministers and my pacific caucus colleagues took the time to pay our riding a visit.

A number of productive meetings took place with organizations and individuals including the City of Kelowna, the District of Lake Country, the City of West Kelowna, the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, Kelowna International Airport, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, the BC Wine Institute, Agents of Discovery, Okanagan College, the University of British Columbia-Okanagan, and Thompson Okanagan Tourism.

Some of the more notable highlights included an announcement with the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Sukhpaul Bal, President of the BC Cherry Association, that the Government of Canada has secured market access in Japan for B.C. fresh cherries; and positive comments by Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton, who told us that our government’s federal investment in strategic infrastructure has yielded more than a legacy of buildings and the jobs that went into constructing them, the funding has helped to provide a great return on investment by allowing the college to expand programming that focuses on sustainability and leverage associated research initiatives.

There is always more to be done and as we near our return to Ottawa later in September, I look forward to pursuing our Kelowna-Lake Country priorities with the support of my colleagues.

I wish to thank everyone who took the time to meet with my colleagues and assure you there will be more opportunities in the coming months.

Likewise, if any local organizations are planning to travel to Ottawa, I encourage you to reach out to my office at Stephen.fuhr@parl.gc.ca so we can help facilitate meetings with our government.

Stephen Fuhr is member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country.