Volunteers Randy Prime and Deb Pfeiffer work behind the scenes at the Shatford Centre, helping to keep people updated on what is happening.
They post articles, events, programs and send out notices. Here are a few highlights to mark on your calendars.
The first Shatford Treasures Basement Sale is being held on Saturday, April 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. And behind the scenes is Karen Collins, who is the treasurer for the Okanagan School of the Arts. Along with volunteers, she has been working hard to bring this fundraising event together.
Collins, also president of the Penticton Historical Society, has a love of history and a background in retail sales, so she is the perfect person for the job. Over the years, we have collected and received ‘treasures’ from people who have thought of the Shatford Centre. Wherever possible we have used these items and stored them. This Saturday, we will be able to use the treasures once again by offering some of them for sale. This is a great way to help produce revenues for the Shatford Centre and special thanks to Collins for taking this on. If you can drop in, please do.
Lucas Penner is coming to Penticton in a few weeks and will be teaching two weekend workshops at the end of April. As Lucas says, “he had a hunger from early on to bring together artistic disciplines and create a very rich audience experience.”
Penner has a great story, growing up in Penticton and as a Penticton Senior Secondary student. His creativity was encouraged through his teachers and mentors, such as, Megan Rutherford, Russell Stasiuk, Lynne Leydier and Dennis Nordlund. After his graduation, he studied at the University of Toronto in the classical voice performance program, going to jazz master classes, studying acting in the George Brown Theatre Program, and finally co-producing, co-writing and directing music in two shows with his Dead and Lovely Collective, formed in July of 2016.
The Shatford Centre, as a former Pen High building, is an ideal facility for Lucas to return to and we are pleased that he will be offering one of his workshops here. To learn more about Lucas and this opportunity, please go to Facebook.com/LucasPennerMusic.
The 5th annual Okanagan Valley Art Fair is being held for the first time in Penticton on Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.
OSA Director, Bill Everden, who chairs this committee, felt that the Shatford Centre was an ideal location with future potential. There will be an opening reception on May 5 that begins at 5 p.m. and will run until 9 p.m. On Sunday, the fair continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., so please plan to attend. Discover artists from Enderby, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Penticton. Admission is by donation and everyone is welcome.
Scott Woods will be fiddling up a storm at 7 p.m. on May 30 at the Shatford Centre.
This exciting show features lots of fancy instrumentals, trick fiddling, smooth vocals plus sensational step dancing. You may hear what resembles a hurricane or twister in the flying fingers of Grand Master Fiddle Champion Woods or even the calm before the storm with a plaintive melody. This is a great concert so don’t miss it!
For information on the Shatford Centre, Okanagan School of the Arts, events and programs, go to www.shatfordcentre.com, call 250-770-7668 or email info@shatfordcentre.com.
Jane Shaak is the executive director of the Shatford Centre, Okanagan School of the Arts, and writes this monthly column exclusively for the Penticton Western News.