Member of the Month – Daphane Nelson

Each month the Kamloops Arts Council now profiles a different member or donor, so that you can get to know the diverse and talented community that makes up the KAC. For the month of March we profile KAC Board Director Daphane Nelson.

DaphaneHow long have you been involved with the Kamloops Arts Council? – I’ve been a member since the last AGM, August 12, 2014, so am fairly new to the organization.

Why did you get involved? I knew a few of the board members and through a number of conversations, I decided that this much exposure to arts & culture and the artists creating it might give me a leg up on my own creativity.

What do you feel is unique about what the Kamloops Arts Council offers the community? A grass-roots, all inclusive approach to art, getting children involved at the Children’s Arts Festival is a testament to this.

What is your favourite KAC program? I should have read all the questions before answering…I mention the Children’s Arts Festival above and now I’m going to mention it again. The Children’s Arts Festival.

Why is it important to support the arts? Even though I still don’t identify as an ‘artist’ in my personal experience, I wasn’t truly happy until I started paying attention to my higher creativity. I took science and math courses in high school with absolutely no art or music classes past Grade 8. In retrospect, I believe more exposure to creative outlets would have made me a happier person through difficult times in my life. The culture of society is shaped by arts and creativity, without the beauty of the arts, we would fall further into the practice of going through the motions.

Do you practice any art forms yourself? I like to finger paint and doodle with my 6 year old son, I have performed on stage singing, dancing and acting and I do enjoy drawing and realize that I should practice it more.

What would you say to someone who’s considering donating to or volunteering with the Kamloops Arts Council? The Kamloops Arts Council’s Crossing Bridges Outreach program is an interactive multidisciplinary collaboration among the arts community, social service agencies and at-risk communities, delivering high-quality arts workshops to the children, youth and adults in the Kamloops area who need them most. Beyond the artistic expression that this project provides, Crossing Bridges helps participants to overcome personal challenges. The Kamloops Arts Council cares about the community that it serves and it shows by the programs that it offers.