Oxygen Art Centre’s Staff and Board of Directors bid a sorrowful but celebratory farewell to Education Coordinator Natasha Smith who leaves her role with the artist-run centre on October 3, 2024.
A founding member of the Nelson Fine Arts Centre Society (Oxygen Art Centre dba) in 2002 with fellow former writing and visual arts faculty at the Kootenay School of the Arts, Smith stepped into the role of Education Coordinator over ten years ago to support the artist-run centre’s educational focus and programming.
Oxygen is known for providing rigorous, inclusive, and responsive arts education for adults and youth across the two eight-week semesters each year. During her tenure as Education Coordinator, Smith worked with Oxygen staff and faculty to deliver classes, workshops, camps, and events with emphasis on incubating and supporting emerging artists and sustaining our vibrant arts community.
In addition to her work at the centre, Smith is a practicing artist and instructor, often offering printmaking and multi-media art classes in the region. Her background brought a unique sensibility to the program, supporting instructors and students alike with generosity, care, and professionalism that will be keenly missed.
While Smith steps out of this role, she will continue to be an ardent member and supporter of Oxygen Art Centre. We thank her for her time and lasting impact on the arts in the community and wish her the best as she begins a new, exciting phase!
Oxygen’s fall semester featuring arts, writing, and professional development classes for adults and youth is now open for registration.
Image Credit: Open House featuring Nature Still Life Drawing with Keiko Lee-Hem and the ArtSpeak Exhibition at Oxygen Art Centre, 7 September 2024
Press Contact:
Julia Prudhomme
Executive Director
Oxygen Art Centre
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Julia Prudhomme (she/her)
Executive Director / oxygen art centre
info@oxygenartcentre.org
#3 – 320 Vernon St. Alley Entrance
Nelson, British Columbia , V1L 4E4
Oxygen Art Centre acknowledges with gratitude that we are located on the tum xula7xw/ traditional territory of the sn̓ʕay̓ckstx/the Sinixt People. As uninvited guests we honour their ongoing presence on this land. We recognize that the Sylix, Ktuxana, and Yaqan Nukij Lower Kootenay Band peoples are also connected with this land, as are Métis and many diverse Indigenous persons.