From travelling to dozens of different countries to becoming the managing director for the Penticton and Districts Community Arts Council, Kettle Valley Memorial and the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce are pleased to recognize Tristan Joseph Boisvert as a Top 40 recipient.
Travel played a key role in Tristan’s development, starting with solo trips to Borneo, Malaysia. After pursuing a culinary degree from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver and later an art program in Montreal, Tristan spent a total of 15 years in almost 40 different countries, working as a freelance writer and art director in cities like Berlin and London, and for high-profile clients like Disney and Virgin Media.
In 2021, Tristan returned to the Okanagan and joined the Penticton and Districts Community Arts Council two years later as the managing director. The Council’s mandate has always been to support, foster, and create a vibrant arts community, but Tristan and the team went a step further and decided to place an increased focus on what has otherwise been a systemic exclusion of marginalized communities and certain demographics in the art world.
One fantastic outcome that has already made local headlines was the launch of sənullustən, a space for Indigenous artists that promotes cultural preservation and reconciliation within the arts sector. Sənullustən is located in the carriage house beside the Leir House, and is a collaboration between the Arts Council and the Ullus Collective.
Another product of that increased focus is a pilot program for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community called QUEIR HOUSE for queer creatives. With a strong belief in continuous learning and improvement, Tristan prioritizes quality over quantity and provides the team with the freedom to explore new ideas and approaches.
This has resulted in new initiatives like the “Love Local Love Art” project which relocates art-based activities into business spaces, as well as a new community colouring table that has improved the connection between parents and their children.
Tristan and the team at Penticton and Districts Community Arts Council use art and music to help combat feelings of isolation and grief, because for them, art is not just about honing one’s craft, but is also about connecting to the community, feeling joy, and sharing experiences. Art is intersectional, and no matter the problem, issue, or demographic, art has a place in solving problems, and in doing so, you build a healthy and resilient community.
