SPONSORED BY COMOX VALLEY AIRPORT
Kera McHugh is synonymous with the Comox Valley arts scene, particularly for her work with the Comox Valley Community Arts Council, where she is the director of member services and community engagement.
Ker came to the Comox Valley in 2010 from the Sunshine Coast, and immediately immersed herself into the arts scene.
Her love of the arts makes the Comox Valley a perfect fit, although she did not realize the extent of the arts culture in our community until after she arrived.
“To be honest, I wasn’t ware of how vast it is, until after I got here. People were always telling me there was stuff to do here and I should come check it out, but I had no idea it was as incredible as it is.
“Actually, my first time I realized ‘hole cow, arts here are really well supported’ was a couple of weeks after we got here, and I opened up The Record, and there was a whole arts section. I was blown away, because on the Sunshine Coast, we did not have that degree of support for the arts. So right then, I was like, ‘there’s obviously a lot more going on here than I know.”
Kera worked at Vancouver Island MusicFest in 2011, where she met many of the “movers and shakers” of the Comox Valley arts scene, and from there things blossomed.
Her duties at the CVAC surround the promotion and exposure of arts of all genres in the Comox Valley. She is heavily involved with the Comox Valley Arts Guide, as well as the Central Island Studio Tour, which features more than 100 studios in 2018.
“Those are the two big projects. Then the everyday stuff involves communication and support of our membership, and working to grow our membership. We work with all different art forms and it’s my job to get that word out to the community.”
The Comox Valley is a richer community, thanks to the efforts of people like Kera McHugh.
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