Deer Lake Winter Craft Festival returns this weekend

The 54th Deer Lake Winter Craft Festival will take place this weekend from Nov. 22-24 at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Festival hours will be from 11am to 7pm on Friday and from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Entry will be free. 

“Visitors can shop from sixty local artisans offering unique handcrafted gifts, including jewelry, pottery, textiles, and holiday decor. The festival also features live musical performances, a balloon artist, delicious food and drinks, a children’s craft table, and a chance to support the BAC through a raffle with prizes valued at over $2000. All proceeds support the Burnaby Arts Council’s year-round programs,” the Burnaby Arts Council said in a statement. 

In recent months, the Burnaby Arts Council (BAC) announced that it is experiencing financial difficulties. In August 2024, the council announced the closure of Deer Lake Gallery until further notice due to financial problems. The gallery’s executive director, Jody Phillips, resigned in June, and the gallery closed its doors at the end of August. 

“We’ve had fundraising events at the gallery, and we have reached out to our community,” Maria Anna Parolin, chair of the BAC, told the Beacon. “This upcoming 54th annual crafts festival that’s happening on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th of November, that’s our big fundraiser. So we highlight over 50 artisans and artists in November.”

During the BAC annual general meeting on Sept. 24, Parolin and co-chair Wendy Cormack presented the BAC’s financial statement, adding that the council lost several funding sources, including funding from the BC Arts Council and others. Since 2000, the City of Burnaby has supported the BAC with a $25,000 annual grant and access to the Deer Lake Gallery. 

According to the financial statement Parolin and Cormack presented at the annual general meeting, the BAC received $27,454 from the BC Arts Council for the 2023-2024 year, down from $40,000 the previous year. The BAC financial statement also showed an overall deficit of $71,568. Parolin said the BC Arts Council is expected to provide $15,000 in funding next year. The arts council year begins in the fall and continues until the end of the following summer. 

On Nov. 4, Parolin and board member Grant Withers appeared at the Burnaby City Council meeting to request the city hire a consultant to help the BAC with fundraising and strategic planning. Parolin said the BAC would need the consultant for six months to a year. 

“We had anticipated that it would be anywhere between $50,000 and $75,000 for the scope of work that we’re considering here,” said Emmaline Hill, director of culture with the city, regarding the cost of hiring the consultant.

This piece was made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

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