The Mission Arts Council is gearing up for a Steampunk Spectaculorium, thanks to more than $53,000 in funding from the provincial government for a Job Creation Partnership that is providing work experience for three people.

The Saturday, Feb. 21 event at The Stage is a biannual fundraiser for Mission Arts Council and is a celebration of all things steampunk: from colourful costumes, inventions, roving entertainers to live and silent auctions. It’s Victorian-era high fashion meets sci-fi chic.

In addition to organizing the steampunk festival, the trio of workers have also been building an event marketing plan, co-ordinating volunteers, including creating a volunteer database, and creating a volunteer handbook over the 40-week project. These workers have helped put together an artists’ directory, a marketing plan for the Fraser Valley Children’s Festival and a haunted house attraction last October for Halloween. They have also created a pop-up gallery featuring local artists. The Job Creation Partnership wraps up on March 6.

Job Creation Partnerships are part of the Employment Program of BC’s Community and Employer Partnerships, which fund projects that increase employability and share labour market information.

To date, more than 500 job seekers have benefited from work experience and 130 projects have been funded throughout the province.

The Community and Employer Partnerships program is featured in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint that helps align training and education with in-demand jobs and provides more support to people who are struggling to gain a foothold in the job market or who face unique challenges.

Quotes:

Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation Michelle Stilwell −

“Job Creation Partnerships are all about helping people gain important work experience, and this project with the Mission Arts Council delivered exactly that to these three participants. They learned valuable skills in event planning by helping put together an amazing steampunk event, as well as ensuring that the council has an up-to-date volunteer database. This experience will really help give these workers a big boost in the job market.”

Abbotsford-Mission MLA Simon Gibson −

“Arts and culture are so important for the vitality of Mission. This is a terrific project for the Mission Arts Council, thanks to this Community and Employer Partnership. The database will help keep the volunteer base healthy and the steampunk festival will certainly be well attended and a great fundraiser for the MAC.”

Mission Arts Council executive director Nancy Arcand −

“The Mission Arts Council was fortunate to receive funding from the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovations through the Job Creation Partnership program. The funds gave us the opportunity to have the participants develop a much-needed artist directory for our many local talented artists, volunteer handbooks, marketing binders for our special events such as the Steampunk Spectaculorium, and learn how to present special events. We hope that the skills the participants gained while being at the MAC will assist them in their careers. We had a fabulous team and we wish them all well.”

Participant Marilyn Davies −

“As volunteer co-ordinator, I was very active in special events such as the Steampunk Spectaculorium. My duties included, recruiting volunteers for these events, taking a lead role in recruiting volunteers for the Haunted Attraction, revamping the volunteer forms and to creating handbooks for Mission Arts Council volunteers. I also assisted the executive director, Nancy Arcand, create volunteer programs for the arts centre. Being involved in the community has been a very rewarding experience.”

Quick Facts:

• In 2014-15, the ministry has committed to investing $331 million in employment and labour market programs under the Employment Program of BC.
• The Employment Program of BC is funded by the Province of British Columbia as well as the Government of Canada through the Labour Market Development Agreement.
• Funding supports 85 WorkBC Employment Services Centres throughout the province and the four components of the Community and Employer Partnerships fund:
  • Job Creation Partnerships
  • Labour Market Partnerships
  • Project-Based Labour Market Training
  • Research and Innovation

Who is eligible?

• Businesses
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Crown corporations
• Municipalities, agencies or territorial governments
• Bands/tribal councils
• Public health and educational Institutions

Learn More:

For more information on Community and Employer Partnerships: www.workbc.ca/CEP

To find a local WorkBC Employment Services Centre: www.workbccentres.ca

To learn more about the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation: www.gov.bc.ca/sdsi

For information about the Mission Arts Council: http://missionartscouncil.ca/

For photos of participants getting ready for the steampunk event: www.flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos/16332988780

Media Contacts:

Grant Kerr
Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
250 387-5635