Area artists have a new organization to turn to for business advice, access to funding and marketing assistance and the community will have a source of information on events and the talented, hidden treasures in the area.

Following a Nov. 8 general meeting where members elected a board of directors, the Huronia Foundation for the Arts was born. The board of 11 met recently to elect officers and chairperson Gord McKay, vice-chairperson Bev Hanna, secretary Phyllis Bier and treasurer Ken Albrough.

Other members include Lu Robitaille, Marianne Braid, Stephan Kramp, Rolf Staude, John Eby, Paul Northcott and Sue Curtis.

“We’re bubbling with excitement of what’s possible here,” McKay said. He’s quick to add the foundation must translate their initial enthusiasm in to real progress. “Our major direction is we have to be relevant to our members. We have the twin challenge of needing to get out of the gate quickly and do what’s important.”

He said it is vital that members immediately see the value in the Foundation to not only serve their needs, but sustain their interest.

“We need to turn our attention to the membership and start delivering services.”

At the same time, McKay said they must be sensitive to other groups, like Quest and Huronia Players, who have made great strides on their own.

“The idea is to co-operate and not overlap,” he said.

They have their work cut out for them to encompass a broad range of interests as well as a huge geographic area.

The Huronia Foundation for the Arts covers a broad area stretching across the North Simcoe area and up the eastern shore of Georgian Bay to Mactier, thus their broad definition of Huronia includes Georgian Bay Township and portions of Muskoka.

To be an effective voice and encourage a cultural community, the foundation welcomes all aspects of the arts from theatre performers, writers and musicians to visual artists working in all media.

McKay reported membership now stands at 123 members. Memberships are available for $10 for students, $25 for artists, $30 general membership and $50 business or organization membership. It include benefits such as vital networking opportunities to address the isolation of the creative community, access to support services as well as marketing and fundraising and offer discounts at various businesses. The foundation will also become a resource for upcoming events.

The first order of business for the board was to pass bylaws.

The six-member formation committee had created the proposed bylaws over the past few months in anticipation of the foundation’s creation.

Now the real business begins. McKay said, along with the existing website, the foundation will be developing a brochure in about a month’s time.

“We want to put artists in touch with the public and get information out about the arts.”

They’re focusing on two major steps.

“The first is a physical or electronic newsletter to put people in touch with artists and events, to build a hub of information,” McKay said. “The second is tying the business community and artists together for training for artists who need help with legal matters and bookkeeping, to offer a package of services.”

The general meeting generated a number of ideas and McKay said they’re considering many of them. The foundation successfully organized a sold-out fundraising dinner with live entertainment and art displays and a popular French Canadian fish fry in October.

Now they’re considering a regular open-mike style event.

“We would be providing a venue that moved around Huronia and people could sign up to do a theatrical presentation, read poetry, sing a song. It’s a way to put artists in touch with the public.”

The board is about to engage in an intense planning process with subcommittees tackling specific tasks as the foundation moves forward and members are enthusiastically looking ahead.

“We appreciate the excitement and recognize the challenge,” McKay said.

For more information on the Huronia Foundation for the Arts, log on to the website at www.huroniaarts.ca or call Gord McKay at 526-7129.