by Patti Broughton
The GAC kicked off its 40th anniversary celebrations at its Annual General Meeting on May 21. Appropriate for a celebration was the venue, Royal City Brewery on Victoria Road. We discovered that our members were happy to join us in our excursion out of downtown, and that a couple of beer kegs make a great podium!
Photo credit: Angela Delodder
President Cynthia Kinnunen noted that GAC’s long history of community involvement and support is thanks to the incredible energy and passion found in a truly artistic community. Despite some turnover in 2014 among staff and Board, numerous important activities took place. Cynthia thanked all GAC staff, Board and volunteers and noted specific achievements in 2014, including a fresh new look and website, as well as the complexities presented by the Creative Spaces project. She concluded by inviting members to get involved as Board, committee or event volunteers, in order to help GAC continue to support Guelph’s arts community.
Photo credit: Angela Delodder
The AGM was attended by Sonya Poweska, the GAC’s Executive Director from 2012 to February 2015. Cynthia extended a very special thank-you to Sonya for all of her hard work and dedication to the GAC.
New Executive Director Patti Broughton shared a little bit about her background, described the GAC’s activities during 2014, and thanked the GAC’s Board, staff, members and supporters.
The official business of the meeting concluded with the election of the 2015 Board of Directors. All current members of the 2014 Board continue with their terms in 2015: Valerie Blackmore, Angela Delodder, Daniel Harland, Nan Hogg, Cynthia Kinnunen, Carla McLean, Ella Pauls (ex officio) and Perrin Valli. We extend a warm welcome to new Board and Executive Committee member Gabriella Vegvari, who joins GAC as Board Secretary.
Gabriella has lived in Guelph for 48 years and considers it her hometown, even if she wasn’t born here. She has worked at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs since 1999. She holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Waterloo, in history and music, as well as a Master of Arts degree in musicology from the University of Western Ontario. For most of her life her creativity has been expressed through piano and voice until almost six years ago, when she discovered new avenues of creative expression through stained and mosaic glass, as well as Saori-style weaving. Gabriella believes every person has a creative spark within themselves – discovering how to express it is the first part of a person’s artistic journey.
Welcome to the Guelph Arts Council team, Gabriella!
Missed the AGM? Contact us to request a hard or electronic copy of the 2014 Annual Report.
