THE COUNTDOWN IS ON AND WE ARE COUNTING ON YOUR SUPPORT!

JUNE was a HUGE month for KSA. We finished off the year with an amazing Ceramics Year End Show & Sale and celebrated the amazing cohort of students with an impressive showcase of work that demonstrated the variety of techniques and individual aesthetics that can be achieved in such a short time.

JULY will be even BUSIER as we finalize our lease with the Nelson Community Land Trust, get our ducks sorted with insurance, firm up enrollment and continue to prepare documents for regulatory certification.

AUGUST will be MONUMENTAL! Kootenay School of the Arts Society will officially open its doors at 606 Arts Space on August 1, 2026.

This is a remarkable milestone—but it also marks the beginning of significant monthly operating costs from here on in. Starting August 1, KSA will take on approximately $6,000 per month in rent and operating expenses, along with an additional $2,700 per month in common costs that help cover utilities, administration, and shared building expenses.

Our GoFundMe campaign has just reached 25% of our fundraising goal. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has donated and shared our campaign.

At the same time, we want to be transparent about what lies ahead. Even reaching our $25,000 goal will cover only about the first three months of operating costs. As a newly established society, KSA is NOT YET eligible for many major grant programs. We need at least one year of operating history to demonstrate our viability before we can access many of those funding opportunities.

That means the coming months are critical. Community donations, sponsorships, and philanthropic support will be essential in helping KSA—and the many artists, educators, and organizations that call 606 Arts Space home—build a strong foundation for the future.

Right now, KSA stands at a fragile but hopeful threshold. We have a small window of time, measured in months rather than years, to successfully transition this vital community institution into a new era under its new governance model.

If you've already donated, thank you. One of the most valuable ways you can continue to help is by sharing our campaign with your friends, family, colleagues, and networks. Together, we can ensure the Kootenay School of the Arts Society not only survives—but thrives.