The North Simcoe and South Muskoka community is a region rich in tremendously talented and creative people in the areas of visual, performing and literary arts.

However, there is no unified body to give voice to the needs of this cultural community, to assist with marketing and promotions, to offer networking opportunities or otherwise lend leadership, support and funding.

All that could soon change with the Huronia Foundation for the Arts. This new organization is poised to elect its first board of directors at the inaugural members' meeting on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre in Midland.

Members will be asked to elect a board of directors and discuss the Foundation’s focus and direction. All those purchasing memberships up until the voting are
eligible to cast a ballot.

The idea for a new arts foundation began in June. Ken Albrough, president of the Southeast Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce, and its general manager Marianne Braid were planning the chamber’s popular Lobsterfest event.

“We decided to do an art exhibit,” Albrough said. “In the process of setting it up we met artists Bev Hanna and Lu Robitaille and we were invited to join the foundation’s formation group.”

Since the early summer, the formation group has been hard at work defining the foundation’s objectives and developing a mission statement.

“We’ve been meeting almost weekly since June at Lu’s house to hammer out the mission statement and objectives. We’ve prepared a set of bylaws. On Nov. 8, when the board is struck, we will present the bylaws to the board to modify or implement as they see fit.”

Albrough said what sets the Huronia Foundation for the Arts apart from traditional arts-focused groups is the input and expertise of a number of business people, rather than merely relying on the arts community.

“We’ve been careful to work as teams with mutual decision making. We’re convinced that this is viable. There’s lots of passion in artists, but we’re taking small and deliberate steps.”

For instance, Midland Councillor Gord McKay has brought along his background in business training to help steer the foundation in a practical sense as formation committee chair. “He’s very in-tune with good business practices,” Albrough noted.

The foundation has already experienced strong membership sales and staged a very successful kickoff fundraising dinner on Oct. 20, with 50 volunteers working together. The old-fashioned French Canadian fish fry was a sellout and featured a diverse lineup of performers, including Huronia Players, singing by Riley Farquhar, fiddling by Nicole and Jill Lefaive, verses by Erin Chappelle, aboriginal drumming by Yellow Butterfly and a stunning display of work by 20 visual artists.

Albrough said comments on the evening ranged from ‘vibrant’, ‘magical’ and ‘high energy’ to ‘proactive’ and ‘upbeat aura’ and they’ve already received requests to do an encore of the evening.

“We’ve had lots of positive feedback. It’s fabulous. People want to embrace this.”

In addition a further 30 memberships were sold, bringing the total to over 120 members. “It’s growing every day,” Albrough said. Memberships are available on the website at www.huroniaarts.ca, or by calling 527-3644. They cost $10 for students, $25 for artists, $30 general membership and $50 business or organization membership.

Benefits include networking to address the isolation of the creative community, support services, marketing, fundraising, notification of events and discounts at places like Curry’s art supplies.

Down the road they have bigger plans.

“Our big objective is ultimately we want to have our own building,” Albrough said. He said the exact form and function is being discussed but would certainly encompass a business office, as well as a place to exhibit and perform. Currently Phyllis Bier is serving as the office manager on a volunteer basis through her Bead Link business at 922 Dominion Ave.

“We see our first priority to raise some funds and hire a manager to work on our behalf and on the artists’ behalf,” Albrough said.

For now they’re focused attention on electing a board of directors at the Nov. 8 meeting. Albrough said they welcome more members and encourage nominations for the board. He noted the Huronia Foundation for the Arts has a somewhat ‘unique’ definition of Huronia. Albrough said it includes Georgian Bay Township and Port Severn to MacTier which is actually part of Muskoka and already has its own arts council.

However, he said many feel geographically isolated from that arts council and the decision was made to include South Muskoka and Georgian Bay Township as well as North Simcoe under the umbrella of the new foundation.