Press Release: Oxygen Art Centre Welcomes New Executive Director
Oxygen Art Centre has named Julia Prudhomme as the new Executive Director, effective August 2019. Prudhomme, who lived in the Kootenays back in 2013-14, has contributed to small town art galleries and artist-run centres in numerous capacities for over ten years.
She was Curator at the Campbell River Public Art Gallery for three years where she developed community-based programming that balanced educational courses, events, exhibits and artist talks, many in conjunction with internationally renowned artists, including Samuel Roy-Bois and Sonny Assu. Her artistic practice is often collaborative, working in video and installation, zine and mixtapes, much of which has been presented across North America and Europe.
She is currently in her third year as a PhD Candidate in the Communications, New Media and Cultural Studies program at McMaster University. Prudhomme holds a Masters in Fine Arts from University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Brock University. She is particularly interested how contemporary art exhibitions investigate histories and possibilities of feminist curatorial practice.
“I am excited to assume the role of Executive Director. Oxygen Art Centre is an integral space for artists and arts engagement.”
Prudhomme comes to Nelson to assume her new role at an opportune moment for Oxygen Art Centre given Genevieve Robertson, the outgoing Executive Director, successfully obtained multi-year funding from Canada Council for the Arts to significantly increase organizational capacity for years to come.
“It is thrilling to be continuing the work that is ongoing in the community. I look forward to supporting and expanding on these labours.”
Category: Oxygen Art Centre
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Oxygen Launches Summer Education Programming
July at Oxygen Art Centre is Summer Camp time! Starting on July 15th with a brand-new camp for 7-12 year olds: Writing on the Walls with the highly talented Amber Santos. This playful and exploratory workshop will invite kids to connect with each other through drawing, develop their own ideas and play with scale. This group will also have the opportunity to collaborate on their very own public art piece. This course runs for five mornings from 9am – noon.
From July 29 – August 2 it’s ALL about theatre with the energetic and inspiring Martina Avis. In the mornings is ACT camp for ages 8-12 where kids will learn dramatic skills while playing games, taking on characters, telling stories and working towards a small performance on the last day of camp. In the afternoons Avis will lead the Shakespeare Theatre Intensive for youth 12-18 where they will learn how modern actors approach Shakespeare’s text to create a play with fast-paced choreography, vocal expertise, and real fine acting. On the last day of camp there will be a 7pm show for family, friends, and the public.
August features three Adult Education Intensive workshops that are sure to inspire. Landscape painterPatrick McGoey will be joining the Oxygen faculty and offering a three-day workshop: Working with Colour on August 5-7. In this colour intensive course students will learn how to mix any colour utilizing a limited palette and develop their own personal colour strategy, buy fewer colours and create harmonized rich paintings.
Jan Inglis also joins Oxygen for the first time to offer Art of Activism August 8-11. This workshop focuses on how arts can animate and amplify social change efforts through public engagement, critical analysis of community issues, team building, creative thinking, as well as bringing in fun when advocacy gets boring. Students will get hands-on learning of basic tools for creating characters and props using foam, papier mache, paint, and fabric with the aim of co-developing a street worthy event.
Are you looking to be part of the growing ukulele scene in Nelson? Join Catherine McGrath for Zero to Sixty: Ukulele Intensive. This course is designed for people who have no or little experience playing ukulele and will begin with the very basics – how to tune, hold, and strum the ukulele – followed by the introduction of two simple chords and a number of catchy two-chord songs.
So start planning your summer art adventures now! For more information and to register please visit:oxygenartcentre.org.
Oxygen Art Centre is a not for profit, community arts organization and artist-run centre that provides arts education as a community service. Tuition is subsidized to keep it accessible to everyone. Oxygen Art Centre has a volunteer credit program that can be used towards reduced tuition costs. Students travelling in for camps from outside of the Nelson area are automatically eligible for 25% off camp tuition!
Oxygen Art Centre gratefully acknowledges support for its Arts Education Programming from the Province of British Columbia, Nelson and District Credit Union, British Columbia Arts Council and Business for the Arts sponsors; Hall Printing and Nelson Star.
