Our Mission
Our History
The Gabriola Arts Council—like many great grassroots initiatives—was conceived around a kitchen table by a group of committed community workers and artists.
They understood that the arts community on Gabriola could be better served by a formal organization working towards common goals, and so in April 1997 Festival Gabriola Society was formally registered. The goals were to create events and opportunities for “shared artistic experience” in the community. In 2006, the name was changed to the Gabriola Arts Council.
For more than twenty years, the board (80 directors in 20 years!), the members, and a dedicated volunteer force have been supporting, presenting, and creating art on Gabriola. GAC’s active membership has continued to grow, with a current list of more than 500 members.
The volunteer efforts of the board are now supported by part-time staff, and freelance and contract workers.
In September 2014, the Gabriola Women’s Institute donated a heritage building to GAC (one of Gabriola’s original one-room schoolhouses). A thorough upgrade and renovation project has resulted in a high-quality, multipurpose community and performance space.
Arts are essential to community and individual development—both social and economic. The Gabriola Arts Council, through dynamic programs and events, makes a significant contribution to the local economy—hundreds of visitors are drawn to the Island each year to participate in festivals and events, creating income-generating opportunities for artists, as well as for local businesses.
The Gabriola Arts Council’s future is bright, as more artists in all disciplines make Gabriola home, and more arts lovers, supporters, and consumers embrace the great Gabriola art vibe.
GAC Gives Back
The work of the Gabriola Arts Council continues to benefit our entire community in tangible ways. From economic well-being to professional development and even the health and wellness of our community members. The arts have a measurable impact.
Gabriola Arts Council
Our Board and Staff
The Directors of the Gabriola Arts Council form a hard-working and committed volunteer Board that directs and guides the staff, volunteers, and the organization.
We are always interested in hearing from members who have new ideas or who would like to volunteer to help with events or fundraising. Contact us!
Gabriola Arts Council Board of Directors
Jasmine Howes
Co-Chair
Jasmine Howes moved to Gabriola Island in 2021 with a vision of reviving the Gabriola Theatre Centre, founded by her grandfather, Antony Holland. That vision became a reality in 2023 with the reopening of the Theatre Centre, ushering in a new chapter for theatre on Gabriola.
Jasmine’s passion for the performing arts began at a young age through regular theatre outings with her grandfather and deepened when she was cast in his production of Macbeth at Studio 58. During her teenage years, she pursued dance as a member of a troupe led by the legendary Jeni LeGon, further nurturing her love of performance.
Today, Jasmine is dedicated to fostering a vibrant theatre community on Gabriola, building on her family’s legacy while creating new opportunities for artists, audiences, and future generations to experience the performing arts.
Board member since May 2026
Roweena Bacchus
Co-Chair
Roweena has been an admin assistant for 25 years at UBC. She worked with the Faculty of Education for the last 19 years and feels that arts and education co-mingle very well. She had been involved with Human Rights for the last 28 years and is a big supporter of the environment, boasting membership in Western Wilderness. Leaving the big city and moving to Gabriola is a shock to her audacious spirit of attending lectures, plays, protests, marches, etc. She dabbles in income tax preparation and stained glass. She is enjoying getting to know the art community and all that Gabriola has to offer.
Board member since July 2021
Corinne Flaws
Co-Treasurer
Corinne spent 33 years working in information services in a large financial organization, managing complex application development projects, and ensuring business satisfaction with information services delivery and operations. Throughout her career, she dabbled in many creative side endeavours, including interior decorating, fashion design, photography and art, but most of her creative energy was focused on creative solutions to business problems. As she became more involved with art and photography, she decided to retire early to focus full time on these passions.
While looking for a place to spend her retirement around Manitoba lake country, Corinne found herself on an impromptu day trip to Gabriola. She was immediately drawn in to the Isle of the Arts and moved here, within months, in January 2020. She spent the first few month in isolation, exploring and photographing the beauty of the island and creating paintings from her photographs. She has since become involved with the Photography Club, GROWLS Eagle monitoring program, and the Palette People.
Board member since February 2025
Joan Johnson
Co-Treasurer
Joan Johnson is a member of the Woptura Tiospaye of the Oglala Sioux Nation. She lived with her late husband, Harold, in an off-grid cabin on his family’s trapline at the north end of Montreal Lake, Saskatchewan, for twenty years prior to relocating to Gabriola, BC in 2020. Joan has had a lengthy career in justice and community development that has included work with Correctional Services of Canada, development of restorative Justice approaches in Indigenous communities, Director of Justice programs with the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, and as a complex case needs Probation Officer in northern Saskatchewan. Recognized for her experience and expertise, she was seconded to work along with her husband, Harold Johnson, on the Northern Alcohol strategy in January of 2016 until her retirement in 2020. The focus of the Northern Alcohol Strategy is to assist communities to collaboratively reduce the impacts of alcohol-related harms. She currently continues this work as a mentor and consultant.
Joan has been a board member for many non-profit organizations including Elizabeth Fry, Piwapan Women’s Shelter, and North Sask Special Needs. She is a member of Sustainable Gabriola and works with other Gabriolans on the Climate 12-12-12 project to come up with local solutions that focus on adaptation and mitigation.
Board member since March 2023
Anne Poschmann
Director
Anne spent 35 years working as a geotechnical engineer with a consulting engineering company based in Ontario, travelling the world a bit with various projects. While working, Anne’s belief that geotechnical engineering is an art as opposed to an exact science (in that it takes a lot of imagination to visualize what might be happening below ground surface) satisfied some of her artistic urge while saving up for retirement. But then when retirement planning with her partner resulted in a paradise home purchase on Gabriola, she quickly shifted gears.
After three years of part time living on Gabriola while looking after parents back in Oakville for the rest of the time, Anne made the plunge in 2019 and is now fully immersed in Gabriola life where the arts community and gardening and new friends are now her passions and full-time replacement job.
Board member since July 2021
Ardyth Cooper
Director
Ardyth Cooper is a respected member of the T’souke Nation and a passionate advocate for Indigenous culture, community connection, and environmental stewardship. She serves as the Cultural Lead and GAC Board Representative for Breaking Bannock, where she helps foster meaningful dialogue, share cultural traditions, and build relationships through food and storytelling.
Through her dedication to cultural preservation, community leadership, and environmental responsibility, Ardyth has become a valued voice in both cultural revitalization and climate initiatives.
Board member since March 2023
Laura Eagin
Secretary
Laura is a senior web developer and content strategist with 20 years of experience in building beautiful, functional websites for businesses and nonprofits. As her career progressed, Laura began teaching web skills to beginners with Camp Tech, Girl Develop It, Ladies Learning Code and at Lawrence Technological University.
Laura’s first passion for the arts was cemented in photography class. Photography and videography remain her favourite medium of expression. She went on to earn a degree in graphic design then later returned for a master’s in motion graphics at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
She and her partner settled in this lovely corner of British Columbia in 2020. On Gabriola Island, Laura leads the monthly meetup for local artists, aptly named Artist Salon, and is a volunteer co-organizer of MAY’d on Gabriola.
As a former GAC staff member (2021-2024) she helped GAC launch a new website, adopt new membership software, and deploy a ticket sales system for events. She returns now as a board member to see where progress can be made with modernizing the board’s systems and to lend a hand with member engagement efforts.
Board member since May 2026
Gabriola Arts Council staff
Chelsea Rushton
Program Manager
Chelsea <at>artsgabriola.ca
Chelsea is an artist, arts educator, and community builder who delights in holding space for diverse audiences to engage creativity, build new skills, and meet others through playful and reflective art experiences.
She earned an MFA in Visual Art and a BFA in Creative Writing, and is certified as a yoga teacher and an end of life doula. For over 15 years, Chelsea has demonstrated her strengths in program management, teaching, and curriculum development through the creation of courses, exhibitions, events, and publications with arts and academic institutions. She is excited to listen, learn, and collaborate to develop and deliver engaging, welcoming, and accessible arts-based programming that honours the land on which we do this work, and that grows our thriving arts community, both on Gabriola and beyond.
Kathy McIntyre
Administrative Systems Manager
Kathy <at>artsgabriola.ca
Kathy Mac has been particularly active in Gabriola’s thriving arts community as a vocalist, actor, artistic director, event producer, content writer and woodworker.
She has performed in, and managed, hundreds of live concerts and stage productions in her almost 30 years on the island. She brings some valuable history and experience with her, in that she worked for GAC as Program Coordinator, Administrator, and Studio Tour manager, more than a decade ago; and is happy to be supporting the vibrant Gabriola arts scene in an administrative role this time around.
Natalie DeSouza
Web Content & Media Manager
web<at> artsgabriola.ca
Natalie spent a couple decades working in digital media and education technology, most recently at the University of Toronto, before moving permanently to the land we call Gabriola in 2019. When Natalie is not at her computer you will find her running, hiking or helping to rescue wildlife with GROWLS.
Victoria Banford
Financial Administrator
Victoria <at> artsgabriola.ca
Victoria is a bookkeeper extraordinaire and a valued member of the team at GAC. She is a long-time islander who you may recognize from the Lion’s Club, the ball field, the Agi Coop, IoTA Mini, the golf course and of course, Woodfire. She proves the old adage: “If you want something done, ask someone who is busy.” We marvel at her ability to organize and “do.” And she does it all with the greatest smile!
Diana Radonjic
Logistics Coordinator
breakingbannock<at>gmail.com
Diana brings extensive experience in event planning, project management, and nonprofit work to the Breaking Bannock team. Her career includes roles with Live Nation and PPCR, where she managed event logistics, coordinated talent, and oversaw budgets.
Diana is passionate about social impact-she serves the Gabriola community working at People for a Healthy Community and has mentored at-risk youth through programs with the Chill Foundation. Her diverse experience helps support Breaking Bannock’s mission to build strong and connected communities.
Get Involved
Become a Member
starting at $10
When you join the Gabriola Arts Council you’ll be the first to receive GAC news, discounts and calls for entry.
Volunteer
become a volunteer today!
Do you love art? Do you want to be a part of keeping Gabriola Island the vibrant arts community that it is?
About Gabriola
Gabriola Island has the fifth highest concentration of artists in Canada—an amazing range of visual artists, writers, poets, dancers, musicians, and actors live and work on this inspiring island in the Salish Sea. The combination of a beautiful and precious natural environment, and a rich collection of artists define community life on Gabriola. Learn more about what Gabriola Island has to offer – and how to get here.
Our Funders
Our generous donors, sponsors and funders make it possible to maintain and expand our events and programs every year. Thank you for your support.
