About the
Sooke Fine Arts Society
About the Society
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is a not-for-profit organization created to encourage and promote a greater understanding and appreciation for the arts by organizing an annual art show, as well as hosting public learning opportunities to demonstrate artistic technique and expertise. The annual art show, held at the end of July and early August of each year, is Vancouver Island’s premier adjudicated art show. It brings artists, volunteers, visitors, and art patrons together in an 10-day celebration of the arts.
Board of Directors
President – Jeff Head
Vice President – Claire Wollen
Treasurer – Robin Middleton
Secretary – Margaret-Elizabeth Schell
Director – Alison McKay
Director – Abigail Owen
Director – Ailsa Wright
Director – Michel Ingram
JOIN OUR BOARD
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is welcoming applications from community members who would like to sit on the Board. We especially encourage applicants who have knowledge of fundraising, human resources, or leadership skills. Please contact us if interested.
AGM
Our 2025 AGM was held at 7pm on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke.
The 2025 Annual Report will be available to view soon.
Staff
Executive Director – Jen Hayward
Administrative Coordinator – Wendy Johnson
Membership
Membership in the Sooke Fine Arts Society is available for an annual fee of $25. Find out more about the benefits of membership and how to become a member of the Sooke Fine Arts Society.
Employment
Join our dynamic office team! The Society is seeking to hire the following positions:
Each summer, SFAS hires students to gain work experience in our office leading up and during the show.
The application period for these positions has now closed. Thank you for your interest.
- Administrative Coordinator
- Show Coordinator
YOUTH ART SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Youth Art Scholarship Award was established in 2014 to assist young artists in pursuing post-secondary studies in the arts, and has been made possible through private donations and events. We look forward to making higher education in the arts accessible to many more talented young artists. The Youth Art Scholarship Award, valued at $1,500, is selected at the end of May each year and presented at the Artist Celebration Event during the show.
The 2026 application period will open in March, 2026.
History of the Sooke Fine Arts Show
The Sooke Fine Arts Show stems from humble beginnings when the Sooke Region Museum would feature artwork from local artists in their upper gallery. In 1986, spurred by the buzz of that year’s Expo, a committee of five local artists conceived of a show to bring attention to art and artists of the region, and thus the inaugural FINE ARTS ’86 was born…
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is a non-profit organization created to encourage and promote a greater understanding and appreciation for the arts by organizing an annual art show, as well as hosting public learning opportunities to demonstrate artistic technique and expertise.
Location
SEAPARC Recreation Centre
2168 Phillips Rd
Sooke, BC
V9Z 0Y3
Mailing Address:
Box 471
Sooke, BC
V9Z 1H4
Canada
Contact
Main Phone:
250-642-7256
Art Sales Desk:
2025: closed
Email
sfas@sookefinearts.com
The Sooke Fine Arts Society respectfully acknowledges the territory of the T’Sou-ke First Nation, upon whose land we gather in celebration of the arts.
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The Jan Johnson Memorial Award is in honour of 
Born in Wyoming on a cattle ranch, Jan turned to art after serving in the Vietnam war. Jan’s voracious reading of religion, philosophy, poetry and economics underpinned the often-complex themes of his work, and his ever-present sense of humour would in turn soften the harshness of his commentary, or lend it a searing irony. He created pieces that were poignant, painful, satirical and whimsical.
The Geri Pudwell Memorial Award for Fearless Creativity recognizes artworks that embody creativity, vibrancy, and originality.
Chat – click on the chat icon bottom, right corner of any of our webpages
Email – sfas@sookefinearts.com
Phone – 250-642-7256
