Wheatland Society of Arts relaunches programming

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After closing in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wheatland Society of Arts (WSA) is once again offering programming starting this week.

In June, WSA elected new board members.

“Some new ones, some stayed on, and some changed positions,” said Sarena Dobmeier, WSA president.

Since then, the board has been meeting once or twice a month getting ready to restart its programming.

But it is taking it slow. For now, three daytime programs are being held.

“We’re splitting it up, having an empty day in the middle, to make sure that we’ve got the space clean for the next class,” said Dobmeier. “Going forward, if we find that manageable, maybe we can stick some classes in the middle or have some evening classes.”

In the meantime, three programs will run each week, including:

Young at Heart Art is a program geared for seniors, allowing them to socialize while stretching their creatives muscles. “There’s an instructor on hand to help with details, but it’s more of a social event,” said Dobmeier. Young at Heart Art runs Mondays from 12:30-3:30 p.m.

The Wood Carving Guild teaches participants to carve, paint and finish wood creations, and meets Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

Adaptive Art, run in partnership with the Foothills Advocacy in Motion (FAIM), focuses on improving dexterity while encouraging creative thinking. The program is led by a FAIM client living with a disability. “That gives her a job back again, and it’s an activity that all of our clients really enjoy attending,” said Bev Roppel, employment and day program manager with FAIM. Adaptive Art goes Fridays from 1-3 p.m.

WSA is requiring face masks and distancing during classes, and is cleaning the space before and after each class. There will also be limited capacity and controlled entry. To register for programming, contact programming@wheatlandarts.ca.

The organization would like to restart its evening wine and paint class, which was well received in the past, but there are still some details to work out, said Dobmeier. “With food and drinks, and everybody coming in and out, there’s a few more catches for what we’ve got to do to cover; so it might be a while before we get that open.”

With the studio shuttered, most of WSA’s current members are its board members. “Because we weren’t open, people aren’t coming back to join,” said Dobmeier, who added WSA’s $20/year membership gives members a chance to vote at the AGM, enjoy perks such as receiving a discount off class rates, and also have the chance to display their art in a few local businesses in town. The organization is also always looking for volunteers, she added. 

Offering arts programming despite the challenges presented by the pandemic is important, said Dobmeier. “Right now, we really lock in the social aspect, because everybody’s trying to stay away from everybody,” she said. “For a place like this, to give people a space to come out, do what they love to do and hang out with their friends, it’s invaluable.”