North Peace Cultural Society, City of Fort St. John come to agreement

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C — Fort St. John council and the North Peace Cultural Society have agreed on a new Cultural Services Agreement and lease for the North Peace Cultural Centre.

In a joint statement from mayor Lilia Hansen and society board chair Connie Surerus, they said the two entities have collaborated on many cultural events and continue to work to meet the arts community’s needs in Fort St. John.

“Significant efforts have been made to involve representatives from all arts groups, and these efforts have proven effective and will continue as we move forward,” the statement read.

The new agreement terms will reportedly benefit both parties as well as the community.

According to the statement, the agreement includes a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which will provide a framework for measuring the success of cultural services.

The KPIs include financial performance, grants, community partnerships and the performance of the art gallery, the theatre, programs, special events and space utilization.

“We are committed to delivering high-quality arts and cultural services and maintaining open and honest communication to ensure the ongoing success of our partnership long term,” the statement concluded.

The new agreement comes after the city and the society were initially unable to come to an understanding in 2021, and the city announced it would take over operations. Last year, the two entities signed a memorandum of understanding to work on a renewed agreement.

Events and shows at the North Peace Cultural Centre can be found on their website and Facebook page.

Energeticcity.ca reached out for more information on the agreement, which will be added once received.