WATCH: Featuring emerging artists of Kelowna

• Art Exhibition at Kelowna Community Theatre
• Gives new artists a chance to showcase their work
• Will offer the community a place to observe local art

The Kelowna Community Theatre (KCT) has recently added an extra layer of entertainment to its front lobby.

A vibrant art exhibition, called Art @ KCT, was created to support both professional and emerging local artists.

Manager, Caroline Ivey, told Kelowna10 the theatre is very excited about this addition to the space.

“It’s been in the works for the last two years during the renovations of the theatre,” Ivey said.

The KCT took the opportunity to upgrade the space, by providing a new base and some new lighting to the lobby.

“This is now a space that we will be featuring emerging artists to come and show us their artwork,” she added.

There are two Okanagan-based artists who were invited to be included in the inaugural edition of Art @ KCT.

Syilx artist, Csetkwe Fortier, is showcasing a series of new works entitled, “ntyxtyix yilmixwm x̌ǝl yaʕt a ckˈǝwilx kˈa nyxwtitkw” or “chinook salmon, chief for all beings in water,” exploring salmon’s vital role in the wellbeing of the ecosystem.

Also included is Sam Neal, a recent graduate from the MFA program at UBC Okanagan. His works “Impressions of Water,” consider time, place and process, and were created using a (natural) cyanotype process on the banks of Wood Lake, B.C.

In the future, artists who wish to have their work displayed at the exhibition can fill out an application online.

“We’re looking at running this space in four shows a season for two artists, so that’s eight artists a year to be able to come in,” Ivey said, adding that the artists are being paid for their work.

“This is a really important step for a lot of artists to becoming professional, and also in terms of them receiving the recognition as such.”

According to her, approximately 80,000 people come through the doors of the KCT a year.

“There’s just so many people [who] come in, in the evenings for shows,” Ivey said. “This will be, eventually, a time and a space that people will be invited in during the day to be able to come and see the space, and just be part of the downtown cultural district.”

For Ivey, she thinks the exhibition is an interesting use of the space.

“Come to the theatre, and come and check out the new exhibition especially the next time you’re at a show.”