About The Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley
The Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley (Alberni Arts) is a non-profit arts organization that was established in 1965. The organization originally began as a hub for the arts, operating from the “Rollin Art Centre”. The Rollin House was cared for by Alberni Arts for 45 years, where it hosted important community events and a local artisan gallery. Learn more about the Rollin Art Centre here.
In late 2022, the society was moved by the City of Port Alberni to the Harbour Quay as construction on the Rollin Art Centre began to attach a childcare centre to the building. The move was intended to be temporary, until the construction finished. The Arts Council continued operations of a gallery, rebranding to the Grove Gallery. The Grove Gallery featured two large gallery walls, a gift shop, a workshop, and a boardroom. In April of 2023, the Arts Council made the decision not to return to the Rollin Art Centre. In January 2026, the Grove Gallery closed and moved operations to an office located in the Visitor Centre, alongside the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout this change, the Arts Council has maintained its core mission has remained consistent: to increase awareness of and access to arts and culture in the Alberni Valley, while supporting local artists.
Today, Alberni Arts is in a period of renewal and reinvigoration. Its new location signals a fresh direction, while long-standing programs and activities continue to provide a strong foundation. New initiatives, such as the Family Arts Festival, reflect a shift toward broader, intergenerational, community-based programming and stronger collaboration with local organizations.
This momentum is helping to build a sustainable programming base while guiding future priorities, including identifying community needs, strengthening partnerships, advancing a Strategic Plan, building capacity among staff and Board members, and enhancing the organization’s brand and visibility. Looking ahead, Alberni Arts’ key challenge will be to grow its capacity while aligning existing programs with an arts-based community development approach, rooted in partnership and collaboration. Central to this is identifying the right facility model, one that supports earned revenue opportunities while enabling flexible, community-driven programming.
Vision, Mission & Values
The arts council is guided by three foundational elements: Vision, Mission, and Values.
Together, they provide clarity about where the organization is going, what it does, and how it chooses to operate.
- The Vision describes the future we are working toward.
- The Mission explains what we do and why we exist.
- Values describe how we work and what we believe in.
Vision, Mission & Values were updated March 2026.
Our Vision
We strengthen the Alberni Valley through diverse arts and cultural development, collaboration, and creative community engagement.
Our Mission
Alberni Arts embraces and supports arts and culture in all its forms, recognizing arts as a foundation on which to build a thriving, healthy, diverse community.
Through connections, supporting local initiatives, hosting creative events, and strengthening communication, we develop social and economic benefits for a vibrant Alberni Valley.
Our Values
These seven values describe how we work and what we believe in.
Collaborative
We understand and value collaborative work. We work with artists, organizations, businesses, and community members to co-create programs, share resources, exchange knowledge, and work collectively to strengthen arts and culture in the community.
Connective
We are creative connectors. We lead with clear, intentional communication that builds meaningful relationships and connects people, ideas, and creative voices across the community.
Inclusive
We seek and share new voices. We welcome and respect people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities, ensuring everyone has a place in the arts, and everyone can share their voice safely.
Sustainable
We’re here for the long-haul. We make thoughtful, responsible decisions that support the long-term health, stability, and growth of the arts, our organization and the Alberni Valley.
Dynamic
We stay relevant. We encourage creativity, innovation, and adaptability to keep arts experiences vibrant, engaging and responsive to the needs of the Alberni Valley.
Intergenerational
We believe the arts are for any age. We create opportunities for people of all ages to learn, participate, and share creative experiences together.
Accessible
We work to identify and remove barriers. We consistently aim to develop arts and cultural experiences that are open, welcoming, and available to everyone in the community.
Reconciliation
We acknowledge the history of Indigenous communities in the Alberni Valley and the impact of colonization. We commit to engaging in building understanding and partnering in the process of decolonization.
We understand that it is our social responsibility to prioritize and never lose sight of Reconciliation in every aspect of what we do. It is deeply important to everyone associated with the Community Arts Council that we continue to move forward in our knowledge and actions.
Inclusion, Diversity & Access
We are committed to creating opportunities for artists, arts organizations and community members to foster an equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible arts culture in the Alberni Valley.
We integrate these values into our ongoing strategic direction, relationships, programming and organization policies, practices and procedures.
We recognize disability justice and grant access requests as often as possible.
Governance
Alberni Arts is a registered charity that is owned by its members. The membership body serves as the foundation of the organization, who elect the Board of Directors to make the right decisions on behalf of the membership. The Board of Directors then provide governance and strategic oversight, establishing policies and ensuring the organization fulfills its mission and legal responsibilities. They also hire the Executive Director, who actionalizes the strategic decisions made by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director implements the mission, vision, values, strategic plan, constitution, policies and bylaws, turning them into programming. Staff and volunteers are managed by the Executive Director and support the delivery of programs, services, and events that advance the organization’s work in the community.
