The Prince Rupert Community Arts Council was founded in 1971 as a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to fostering arts and culture in the Prince Rupert region.  The PRCAC is run by a volunteer board  committed to enhancing the arts community in Prince Rupert.  The PRCAC raises funds through membership fees, special events, corporate contributions, and generous financial assistance from the City of Prince Rupert and the BC Arts Council. In addition to providing member assistant grants and scholarships on an annual basis, the Arts Council hosts a number of inspiring community events including Kaien Island Craft Fair, North Pacific Cannery Artist-in-Residence program, Monday Night at the Movies and Creative Jam Deconstructed.

Our Mission

To foster a thriving, inclusive, and elevated arts and culture scene that inspires and connects our community.

Our Vision

We envision our community as a vibrant cultural beacon for the North—a place where art illuminates our public spaces, inspires innovation, and enriches every life it touches. We are committed to empowering every community member to create, celebrate, and champion high-quality art, forging a lasting legacy of creative excellence for generations to come.

OUR TEAM

Carol Bulford 
 Admin Assistant

Originally from Hamilton, New Zealand, Carol has lived in Prince Rupert on and off for 20 odd years. She has been an active volunteer with many community organizations including the North Coast Transition Society, Rotary Club, Lutheran Church, and was a founding member of North Coast Women In Business. Carol has a background in printing and ran Advantage Printing & Design for about 8 wonderful years. Now settling into retirement, Carol is excited to be involved in the arts community in Rupert and especially loves theatre arts. Carol also loves cats and will cat-sit for you anytime! 
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Celine Trojand
​President

Celine was born and raised in Dawson Creek but moved to the coast in 2009 and hasn’t looked back. Before moving to Prince Rupert Celine and her partner, a working artist, transformed a 180 acre logging camp on Vancouver Island into a creative campus, hosting residencies to painters, musicians, chefs, writers, architects, and all manner of creatives. She has a background in Anthropology, Biology, and French Literature and spent most of her career as a Community Organizer and leader advocating for environmental justice. Celine is currently the Chief Impact Officer at Ecotrust Canada.
 
As a member of the Arts Council Board she’s enthusiastic about developing a shared space for creatives to gather, learn, and inspire each other. Celine’s art is practiced in the garden and in the pottery studio, happiest with her hands in dirt.
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Chris Fraser
​Director

In 2018, Chris Fraser relocated from Vancouver to Prince Rupert, and quickly established a deep connection with the area's vibrant community and breathtaking natural surroundings. As the chef and owner of Cloudberry Catering Co., Chris combines extensive culinary expertise with a profound passion for visual arts.

Their artistic expression spans sculpture, mural art, and acrylic painting, drawing inspiration from Prince Rupert's striking landscapes and dynamic culture. You can see Chris's art around
town as public art or on their website. ​

Jaimie Angus
​Director

Jaimie Angus brings a unique blend of experiences to the board of the Prince Rupert Community Arts Council. Originally from Vancouver, did her schooling in Tourism and Hospitality from Humber College in Toronto but followed her heart back to the West Coast and has called Prince Rupert home for over a decade.
 
As the Executive Director of Tourism Prince Rupert, Jaimie has a proven track record of developing and executing successful marketing campaigns and events to promote travel to the region. Jaimie's career has been deeply rooted in showcasing the beauty of the West Coast
 
Jaimie is a talented metalsmith and wire wrapper, crafting one-of-a-kind jewelry inspired by the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Each piece is a reflection of the coastal landscapes and wilderness that surround us, capturing the essence of adventure and nature.

Jaimie is thrilled to bring her diverse skill set and love for the community to the board of the Prince Rupert Community Arts Council. 
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Jeseka Hickey
​Director

Jeseka is an Outsider artist living off the coast of Northern BC (Kxeen), exploring the magic and beauty of wild living things.

Jeseka attended Mount Allison University in Sackville New Brunswick, and was quickly immersed in the extensive art scene there.

She has shown in Sackville, New Brunswick at the START Gallery (2002) and Struts Gallery (2005). At the Terrace Art Gallery (2022) in BC; and will show at the Smithers Art Gallery as part of the NAAG: Northern Artist Adventure Group (August 2024). Her artwork was selected for the 2019 Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and was featured on everything from posters and t-shirts, to the program guide and festival mugs. You can view her art on Instagram at #paradoxofliving, inspired by Jack London’s words, “And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive.”


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Kara Wilkinson
​Secretary

Kara Wilkinson is very excited to join the Prince Rupert Community Arts Council board! Kara moved to Prince Rupert in 2022, and loves the beauty and uniqueness this coastal city has to offer and finally feels as though she has found a place to call "home". Kara grew up in Maple Bay on Vancouver Island and has always lived close to and appreciated the ocean. She enjoys boat camping, traveling, fishing, hosting dinners parties, and hanging with her pup Mo. Kara is looking forward to helping bring together the incredible artists that reside in Prince Rupert and surrounding areas. The community here has a full heart with open arms and Kara can't wait to work with the PRCAC to continue showcasing amazing artists. With a background in events, Kara is eager to apply her skills and knowledge to the PRCAC and bring some great ideas to this awe-inspiring city.
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Lani Dyck
​Treasurer

When Lani was 12, she learned to sew at 4H and that started her journey towards the arts and craft. Lani has lived many lives - as a Pharmacy assistant for 13 years, working insurance and mutuals funds, working for the 2016 census, and more recently a Bookkeeper at Bytown Parts and Industrial. She was the Treasurer of the Baha’i assembly in Kamloops for 15 years. She moved to Rupert in 2015. She met many people from the arts community playing flute in the community band. Lani is a mother of 4 and grandmother of 3, soon to be 4 grandchildren. Lani still loves to sew, knit, crochet and garden. 
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Rhoda Witherly
​Vice President

Rhoda is a retired Notary Public and long time Prince Rupert resident. She arrived in the early 70s from Edmonton for the usual “few” years but stayed.  Since then, she has always been involved in the arts and business community.  She was a City Councillor on the committee that built the Performing Arts Centre, served as chair and director of the Prince Rupert Port, and is an ardent supporter of Prince Rupert’s built and performing arts.

She is also a musician and sorely misses playing flute in the community band.
She spends part of her days gardening at her place in Usk. Similar to the arts, gardening is a never-ending challenge that keeps us human.​​

Sandra Cummings
Director

Sandra is a glass mosaic artist and Red Seal Painter living here in Prince Rupert. She has operated her own residential and commercial painting business since 2012. Recently, Sandra began opening up her art studio, Magpie Mosaics, to both children and adults for mosaic classes and as a place for people to come and create on their own time. Sandra is passionate about the medium of stained glass mosaics, and believes the options are limitless - if you can dream it, it can happen.

Veronika Stewart
​Director

Veronika Stewart is a third generation Rupertite who is committed to supporting a thriving arts and culture scene in our community. The daughter of an artist, Veronika has previously supported multiple mural and painting projects in Prince Rupert through fundraising on the board of Transition Prince Rupert and is keenly invested in seeing more local public art. She is very happy to be participating with a board of dedicated and talented people and is always open to hearing from the public about what the Arts Council can do to further arts and culture.
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