Five new members have been appointed to the BC Arts Council board and one member has had his term renewed.

The arts council board, appointed by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare, represents diverse cultural and artistic communities throughout British Columbia. 

The new appointees to the board are:

• José Delgado-Guevara – concert master of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra and owner of Delgado Strings. Delgado-Guevara has held principal positions in several orchestras in the United States, Europe and Canada.
• Phillip Djwa – president and chief executive officer of Agentic Digital Media in Vancouver. Djwa is a creative technologist and interactive strategist with many years of experience in interactive design, digital media and film/TV for Indigenous peoples, progressive organizations and social venture companies.
• Patricia Henman – professional actor, producer and director working throughout Canada. Henman serves as director of the Capital Theatre Society and the Amy Ferguson Institute in Nelson, B.C.
• Norman Armour – international development manager for North America for the Australia Council for the Arts. Co-founder of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, Armour served as its artistic and executive director for many years. Armour is an external advisory member of the Office of Cultural Affairs and a member of the Arts and Culture Policy Council for the City of Vancouver.
• Simone Orlando – artistic director and chief executive officer of Ballet Kelowna. She has worked as a choreographer and received numerous commissions, including commissions from Ballet BC, Ballet Kelowna and Toronto Dance Theatre.

Reappointment to the board:

• Derral Moriyama – senior vice president of business development for Western Canada at Bank of Montreal and accounting firm MNP.

The BC Arts Council is funded by the provincial government. From professional dance companies to art galleries, local museums and music festivals, the council works to enrich the lives of everyone in B.C.

Quick Facts:

• The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture selects the 15 members for the council on the basis of their expertise and dedication to the arts.
• The BC Arts Council was established in 1995 to support development and funding for the arts and to support arts and cultural organizations, as well as individual artists.
• It contributes to a range of activities, such as funding for professional artists, arts organizations and community initiatives, in addition to training and scholarships, including a youth engagement program.
• The council draws upon the expertise of British Columbia's arts and culture community to provide an independent peer-review adjudication process.
• In 2017-18, the BC Arts Council provided $24 million to help artists and cultural organizations flourish in more than 200 communities throughout B.C, with funding provided by the B.C. government.
• In Budget 2018, the Province increased support of the BC Arts Council by $15 million over the next three years. This investment gave the council a total of $29 million in 2018-19, to help artists and cultural organizations throughout the province.

Learn More:

BC Arts Council: http://www.bcartscouncil.ca

For detailed biographies of BC Arts Council members, visit: http://www.bcartscouncil.ca/about/councilmembers.htm#