About Us

The Central Interior Regional Arts Council (CIRAC) is a not-for-profit charitable organization funded by membership fees, donations and grants, the most significant of which is an operating grant from the BC Arts Council. Our membership consists of various Community Arts Councils in the region, together with over sixty individual members. We serve the members through communication, coordination and education.

Our mandate is to initiate and promote the cultural enrichment of the lives of the people in British Columbia's Central Interior. Our mandate means that we must not duplicate what the local arts councils do, but rather, seek opportunities to promote regional artists and their works.

Board of Directors

Graham Kelsey (Past President)

Graham Kelsey has been associated with CIRAC since he undertook a strategic planning exercise with the organization in 1999 and 2000. he served as Vice-President from 2002 to 2005 and as president from 2005 to 2007. He is a Professor Emeritus of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia and now lives in Big Lake on the old Gold Rush Trail. He has been a frequent consultant to not-for-profit boards in the arts and culture sector across the province. he has served as Vice President of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education and the Social Science Federation of Canada. In 2002 he was appointed to the British Columbia Arts Council, an appointment he held until 2008. He has also narrated and directed award-winning museum audiotape guides.

Sheri Ukrainetz (President)

Sherry Ukrainetz has been interested in art and the arts for as long as she can remember, whether it was playing with beads, cutting and pasting, or creating things from found objects. She believes that there can be beauty in everything we do, such as creating a nice meal, growing flowers or painting a house. Sheri feels that it is important to promote and to mentor people to develop their artistic side and somtimes in today's society that tends to be forgotten. Sheri has been with CIRAC for about 8 years, initially starting out as the Mackenzie Arts Council rep, then Vice President and now President. She is a member of the Mackenzie Potters guild and is involved with the Mackenzie Arts Council.