The members of the Arts and Culture Round Table in Elliot Lake (ARIEL) elected two new officers during their annual general meeting Thursday evening. Levina Arseneau is now treasurer and Prisca Campbell has begun a two-year term as president of the board.
Murray Finn remains on the board in the position of past president, and former vice president Gwen Goulet is now a director at large.
“I am thrilled that ARIEL continues to benefit from the vast experience that Murray and Gwen bring to ARIEL,” Campbell said after the meeting.
The first order of business for the new leadership is to secure a permanent address for the not-for-profit group. ARIEL’s former headquarters was destroyed when the roof of the Civic Centre collapsed in 2019.
To aid in the acquisition of space, the organization is conducting a GoFundMe campaign to raise $1,000 to cover operating costs. Almost 50 per cent of the target has already been reached.
Two executive board positions remain vacant – secretary and vice president. The organization plans to fill these positions by September. The positions must be filled by ARIEL members in good standing.
“ARIEL would love to hear from Elliot Lake residents with a love for the arts and a willingness to volunteer," Campbell said. "People interested must purchase a membership if selected for a position on the board.”
Applications can be emailed to [email protected]. Applicants are asked to indicate the position they're interested in filling by including it in the email subject line.
ARIEL, founded in 2008, was instrumental in the development of the art gallery that was housed in the former Civic Centre. Future plans for the organization include re-opening a multipurpose gallery, as well as developing arts programming for children and adults.