The Cochrane Integrated Arts Society (CIAS) has some big plans for our community but as they establish themselves they want to start by showing off some of the work from the many talented artists in our area. 

CIAS President Jane Kaczmer says the group was formed about two-years ago to become a voice for advocacy for arts in the Cochrane area.

"The board has decided that our major responsibility was advocacy to start building and putting together facilities for all of the arts, which of course is going to take a long time. The first project we have on the go is we're forming an artist collective and building an art gallery."

Kaczmer says they are hoping to operate a gallery but they're still in the very preliminary planning stages. 

"Thanks very much to Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre that wants to actually work with us to build a gallery that we would then outfit and operate."

Kaczmer says they're holding an AGM later this month and they're hoping to get a good turnout and get some additional members.

"We have already put out a survey that over 80 people responded to, visual artists responded to saying they are interested in joining the collective. So at the AGM we are going to start taking those memberships so that we have those people together to start building some of the things that we're going to need and to prepare to outfit and actually operate the collective." 

Kaczmer says they have also started to talk about some other future plans including building a black box theatre as well as working with the Cochrane Public Library to have a gallery in there once the new facility is built.

There will be an AGM on Friday, Feb. 21 from 7-9 p.m. in the Seniors on the Bow Centre at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre. 

You can find more information about CIAS here.