For Immediate Release

Contact: Beth Holden

Toll Free: 1-800-442-ARTS (2787)

Tel: 250-994-3466   Fax: 250-994-3433

Email: coordinator@imarts.com

WELLS, BC, CANADA.....The Cariboo Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition has just come on board alongside Community Futures North Cariboo and Island Mountain Arts to provide funding towards the Art Is Your Business Conference coming up October 14th – 16^th in Wells, BC.

The conference, which will feature panels with cultural industry leaders and workshops on topics such as funding, accounting and marketing, is geared towards empowering artists of all disciplines with entrepreneurial skills. It is also an opportunity to bring artists of the region together in order to network, receive mentorship and share skills and ideas.

“Artists in the central interior and north are spread over a huge geographic region and are often left feeling quite isolated. This conference is a chance for artists to meet one another, gain contacts and learn skills to help them move forward in their artistic and business practice,” says Executive Director of Island Mountain Arts, Julie Fowler. “The end goal is to have a more informed, connected and strong cultural sector across the north in order to build a more diverse economy and create more attractive communities to live in. The arts are a barometer for healthy and vibrant communities; with a strong arts sector we can more easily attract and retain people to live and work in the central and northern interior.”

This is not the first time Island Mountain Arts has run a conference such as this. The first Art Is Your Business Conference ran in 1995 and continued until 1997. Almost fifteen years later it is long overdue for another version of the conference, as many artists have been talking about the need for more training on the business side of art. With the initial support of Community Futures the 2011 conference became a reality.

“Community Futures was the first funder to step up and we are now getting a number of community sponsors as well. With the new addition of funding from CCBAC we are able to bring in additional industry leaders and provide bursaries for artists – we don’t want cost to be a barrier to anyone attending,” says Fowler.

For more information, including details on the schedule, how to register and accommodations in Wells, please visit www.imarts.com or call 1-800-442-2787. Register by October 1st to get the earlybird rate of $75 for the weekend.

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