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Dear Supporter
Volunteers
Volunteers are vital to the arts.
Volunteers serve on boards of directors, organize
events, help with fundraising, teach and mentor, and perform various
administrative tasks. Without the input from volunteers many arts
organizations would not be able to function.
During the lingering recession, the competition among not for profit
groups for volunteers has intensified with arts groups getting only a
small percentage of the available volunteers (see the statistics below).
So now, more than ever, we need to appreciate the role of volunteers. It
is so easy to take volunteers for granted. But now is
exactly the time to not only appreciate but to show that appreciation in
tangible terms. Give your volunteers whatever perks you can manage,
recognize them at every possible opportunity - an appreciation luncheon
or a pizza evening will go a long way to show that your appreciation is
real.
A Caveat
The willingness of people to volunteer can lead to an
unreasonable expectation to get everything for free. When you plan an
arts event or venture you need to be prepared to pay for some aspects
rather than expect volunteers to donate what is essentially their
living. There is nothing a plumber dreads more than being invited for
supper: "Hi Joe, we have not seen you in years, why don't you and your
wife come over for supper? Oh, and bring your toolbox, we have this
slight problem in the basement"!
So rather than from the outset planning to get your new stage wired for
free, or your new clubhouse painted for free, plan to do fundraising and
then pay for those services.
In Summary
Volunteers are at the core of the arts in our
community. We need to recognize and cherish their contribution. We need
to make it easy, pleasant and rewarding for them to volunteer.
Sincerely
Susan Wandell
President
Volunteers in Arts and Culture
Organizations in Canada in 2007
Latest report by Hill Strategies
698,000 Canadians age 15 or older volunteered 73.5
million hours in arts and culture organizations in 2007.
The 73.5 million hours volunteered in arts and
culture organizations is equivalent to about 38,000 full-time, full-year
jobs, valued at about $1.1 billion.
The 73.5 million hours contributed to arts and
culture organizations represent an average of 105 hours per volunteer.
The most common reason for volunteering in arts and
culture organizations is a desire to make a contribution to one’s
community (chosen by 92% of volunteers).
The report highlights the strong competition
for volunteers from other non-profit sectors. The 698,000
volunteers in arts and culture organizations comprise 5.6% of all
Canadian volunteers. Sports and recreation, social service, education
and research, and religious organizations attract the most volunteers
(close to 3 million each), followed by health organizations (1.6
million) and development and housing organizations (1.2 million).
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Tempus Fugit: A visual
and Literary Historical Exploration
Katherine Freund-Hainsworth
March 30
- April 24
"In my visual arts work, I concentrate on 2D Mixed-media
on Paper, 3D Mixed-media Assemblages, and historical
buildings illustrations."

April 18 - 24
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