Behind the Scenes: Q&A with Maggie Shirley, WKRAC Staff Member
The West Kootenay Regional Arts Council (WKRAC) exists to help arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin thrive. To do so, we rely on a dedicated team of board members, plus steering committee members who oversee the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) arts and culture grants. We also have great employees!
Who are these people? In this series, we’re introducing you to the folks behind the scenes.
Maggie Shirley, Project Manager, Digital Services Transformation Project
Based in Castlegar, Maggie Shirley was instrumental in hosting our Kootenay Art Connect Conversations, and continues to work on a digital project to bring together those working in arts, culture and heritage in the region. She also works as the Project Coordinator for the Dementia Project based in the Trail Hospice.
WKRAC: How did you come to call the Columbia Basin home?
MS: I first moved to Nelson in 1981 and attended David Thompson University Centre. I’ve moved away several times, including to Ireland for seven years, yet I have always returned. The West Kootenay is home for me.
Are you involved in arts, culture and heritage outside of your work with WKRAC/CKCA? If so, what is your discipline or practice?
I consider myself an artist. I am part of an arts group called Ten Thieves. I create theme-based work in a variety of media and methods, primarily three-dimensional work. At the moment, I’m experimenting with creating bioplastics and then creating objects combining the bioplastics with found objects harvested from the forest floor. I examine themes such as gender, the body, evolution and the natural world. Ten Thieves has an exhibition scheduled for the Langham Cultural Centre in 2026, so I hope you come see it.
What do you think people in the region should be proud of in terms of arts, culture and heritage?
I think we punch above our weight when it comes to the quality of our professional artists. There are folks living here who are exhibiting in galleries and spaces across Canada, in the States and in Europe, as well as in the Kootenays. CKCA grants have been an important source of support for these artists and for Columbia Basin galleries so they can show regional professional artists. I hope professional art continues to be valued, as it has in the past.
What advice do you have for people in the region pursuing a career in arts, culture and heritage?
There’s an old cliché of a starving artist working alone in a garret. Aside from the dearth of garrets in the Kootenays, to be a thriving artist you need to build relationships and community with other artists, with curators and with local businesses that can support you. A lot of work can be done alone in the studio, but connecting to the larger community will enhance your practice in a multitude of ways.
What vision do you see for the future of arts, culture and heritage in the Columbia Basin?
I envision a healthy, thriving arts sector that is interconnected and working collaboratively to support arts and culture workers. I believe the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council can play an integral role in bringing this vision to reality. This is what the Digital Services Transformation Project is working toward.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Although it not considered an essential service, arts and culture plays such a vital role in our society. It brings us together. It can get us talking about controversial ideas. It gives voice and visibility to non-dominant cultures. It lifts our spirits in difficult times. It is a binder that holds us together. Whatever happens, we need to support and celebrate our Columbia Basin culture and the people who create it.