The PineRidge Arts Council is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to enhance the quality of life within the community by developing widespread appreciation,
support and involvement in the arts since 1989.

PineRidge Arts Council, 1355 Kingston Road, P.O. Box 66099, RPO Town Centre
Pickering, ON, L1V 6P7, Canada

PRAC President ArtScene Editor Webmistress Phone: 905.509.3855

2008 President’s Message

Since my inauguration into the PineRidge Arts Council in 1994 when our membership totalled a mere 33, this totally voluntarily administrated organization, through dedication and passion has blossomed to a membership of over 350. What fun it has been to be a part of this artistic group of people and I look forward to even more exciting developments in the future. Here is a brief synopsis of what we have been up to over the past year.

• Membership for 2007/08: 350 including 74 groups representing over 3000 people.
• Newspaper: Our run increased to 2700 and every two months we mail out approximately 1900 ArtScenes.
• nother 800 copies are distributed at various locations in Durham Region and beyond.
• Website: Mary Cook is our Webmistress and does a fabulous job keeping our site up to date and our members informed. Check us out at pineridgearts.org

Activities During the Past Year:

• Organized our 9th Juried Art Show in Ajax resulting in 180 entries. Presented $4,375 in awards to 19 winning artists.
• Partnered with the City of Pickering for the 11th annual Artfest on the Esplanade.
• Art in Public Places exhibitions at McLean Community Centre, the Ontario Power Generation Information Centre, Pickering Chiropractic Health Centre and Dentristy on Liverpool.
• Held another successful AGM/Arts Event at Papps.
• Featured guests were Members of the Daughters of Temperance from the Backwoods Players of Pickering Museum Village.

Were able to give back to the community by sponsoring over $6,000 to local projects and events – to name a few:

• Pickering Museum Village Foundation “Rubber Duckie RACE”
• Durham West Arts Centre
• Durham Philharmonic Choir
• City of Pickering “Against the Wall”
• Durham Youth Orchestra
• Ajax Creative Arts
• Visual Arts Centre, Clarington.
• Partnered with Herongate Barn Theatre and the Pickering Green Festival for Muzic and Arts Night. Twelve PRAC artists exhibited their work.
• Assisted Ontario Power Generation in obtaining artists for their summer interactive family program Tuesdays on the Trail.
• Worked with the Pickering Museum Village and PMV Foundation, carving and judging pumpkins for their Fall Family Festival.
• Supplied two judges for the Town of Ajax/Blacks Photography Contest.
• Supplied judges for the Chartwell Senior’s Housing REIT Senior Star competitions.

We Wish to Thank:

• The City of Pickering for our monthly meeting space at the Recreation Complex
• The Town of Ajax for the use of the McLean Community Centre during our Juried Art Exhibition.
• Our Art in Public Places exhibition venues.
• Our special donors and sponsors who support PRAC throughout the year.
• Our hardworking executive, committee people and volunteers whose aforementioned dedication and passion make our Arts Council flourish.

Respectfully submitted,

Catherine Schnippering, President (click here for reports from 2004 to 2007)