The Weyburn Arts Council (WAC) held its annual meeting on Feb. 16 at the Signal Hill Arts Centre.

All members of the executive were re-elected by acclamation.

Sandra Hanni is chair of the Arts Council, Hannah Bell is treasurer, Lois Olson is secretary, Michele Craigen is vice-chair, Helen Mamer is curator and Ray Hamm is city council's representative on the board.

Members-at-large include Terry Creurer, Michele Fedyk and Sollie Kanders.

This year, the Weyburn Arts Council has chosen to expand the local Art Search Adjudication to include all of Zone 1. Also, the event has been moved from April to July and August, to co-ordinate with 2004 Summer Games activities.

Hanni reports that the calibre of AGAG exhibitions has improved greatly, resulting in a deficit from increased professional artists' fees and operating costs. However, corporate sponsorship has remained steady.

The council is currently managing the City of Weyburn's permanent art collection and is planning on a major purchase this year. The collection will be moving to a larger storage space in the new city hall this spring, when an updated appraisal of works will be done.

The WAC continues to support a number of education programming for young and old this year.

The "May Clay" project is now in its 12th year and is growing in popularity with schools from Weyburn and surrounding communities while the James Weir Peoples' Choice Exhibition is now in its 21st year.

The WAC also continues to support and promote community artists by presenting their work in a number of venues, including the Allie Griffin Art Gallery, the Weyburn Credit Union and Royal Bank.

The Crocus Gallery at SaskPower was closed due to office renovations, but SaskPower donated a large display cabinet now in use at the Allie Griffin Art Gallery.

The WAC also provides scholarships through the Rotary Music Festival and a new fine arts award, which was developed in 2003 for those going into the arts field.