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Key staff changes at the Arts Centre

After more than five years managing the resurgent Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, administrator Sheenah Main is moving on. Main started on the job in June, 2013 after many years as a theatre and film production coordinator in Vancouver and Toronto.
sheenah
Sheenah Main, who is leaving her post as administrator of the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt, says the centre is well on track in its program expansion.

After more than five years managing the resurgent Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, administrator Sheenah Main is moving on. 

Main started on the job in June, 2013 after many years as a theatre and film production coordinator in Vancouver and Toronto. She has since overseen the execution of plans by the board of directors of the Sunshine Coast Arts Council, which runs the centre, to stretch the organization’s wings. 

“Five and a half years ago, with the exception of the [authors’] reading series, this was primarily a place of visual arts exhibitions,” Main said in an interview at the centre on Trail Avenue in Sechelt. “It hit me very strongly after I started here, when people who have been charter members for 50 years told me how the arts council used to have theatre, dance, performance, all of these different things used to happen. The board and myself wanted to rekindle some of those facets of the arts. That’s when the job started blossoming.” 

The centre now has added an arts documentary film series, an annual young artists teaching and awards program and abstract-art lamp post banner event, plus one-off theatrical and musical performances, and it’s steadily booked for events and receptions. 

As centre administrator, Main also has been responsible for producing the annual Deck the Halls Christmas Craft Fair and the summer Hackett Park Arts and Crafts Fair, both of which feature only handmade goods and maintain a high standard as juried events. 

“When I came on, we had just over 50 vendors for Hackett Park. Last summer, we were maxed at 90,” Main said. “It was finally the fair that I’ve been trying to make it for five years. And that was very rewarding.” 

The board wanted to get the Christmas event back into the arts centre building instead of the Seaside Centre, a process Main oversaw. “This building has so much character. And now that fair has a dedicated group of vendors and customers. Many people, vendors and customers alike, tell me it’s their favourite fair.” 

Not surprisingly, Main has earned the respect of many in the arts community during her tenure. 

“I was on the Arts Council board when Sheenah was hired and was able to experience her very calm, organized and focused demeanour as she took on this brand new challenge,” said Linda Williams, of the Coast Cultural Alliance. “Her attention to detail, cheerful communication skills with the board and the public have been huge assets over the years and she will certainly be missed.” 

Sunshine Coast Arts Council Chair Nell Burns echoed those sentiments. 

“In the last few years we have developed and expanded our programming and Sheenah has worked hard to accommodate and facilitate this extra work,” Burns said. “We all wish her well in her new life chapter.” 

That new chapter remains largely unwritten. Main plans to rest, take stock and for the time being, work on the Carlson Point house she shares with her husband. 

Starting this month as the new arts centre administrator will be Andrea Dancer. The council also has created a curator/director position, to be filled by Sadira Rodriguez.