The Vernon Community Music School as a not-for-profit organization relies on the generous donations from its members, alumni and the community to continue to offer superior music experiences for the students.
If you would like to support the school through a donation please consider donating with an Endowment Fund, maintained through Community Foundation North Okanagan. We currently have Endowment Funds which support both our Scholarship program as well as operational costs for maintaining our heritage buildings.
The Smith House was built in 1908, and as such needs constant love and attention, and our school often has ongoing projects that require funds to maintain our programs and classes year after year. We know that it takes a community to help our school maintain the level of excellence we have developed over the years, and help to foster leadership skills for future community leaders. With your help, we will be able to continue supporting musicians in our community for generations to come. Help Love Our School!
Current Projects Completed:
Wood Shake Replacement – Smith House
You know that old adage “it takes a village to raise a child”? We feel the same way about our beloved Music School. You may have noticed this past summer that our historic Smith House underwent a bit of a facelift. We were having tremendous issues with woodpeckers creating holes, and then smaller bird and squirrels nesting in those holes. Thanks to the wonderful support from BC Arts Council, Heritage BC, and the Galbraith Family Foundation, we have been able to replace the cedar wood shakes on the gable end with cement-fibre board shakes. One of our priorities for the heritage buildings at our school is conservation. We need to ensure we continue to provide a safe, healthy and comfortable environment for all of our faculty, students and their families for more generations to come.
Working within a building that is close to 120 years old means that the list of things that need attention never really ends – but we are so grateful for these organizations and foundations that continue to support us and see the value of the arts and culture in our community. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
*The BC Arts Council grant was for Arts Infrastructure, which enables eligible organizations to develop and enhance spaces that support the work of B.C.’s arts and cultural practitioners.
*The Heritage BC grant was provided through the Heritage Legacy Fund with the Heritage Conservation Program for the preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of heritage resources.
Wood Shake Replacement – Carriage House
In the summer of 2023, we were able to address the gable ends of the Carriage House.
We need to really thank and hug those organizations who have recently helped us maintain and preserve that space. We were lucky to receive generous financial support from the BC Arts Council, Kal Rotary Vernon, BC, and the Foord Family Foundation in helping us replace the old cedar gable ends. It takes a community to maintain our musical hub, and we are forever grateful that we have been given the opportunities to continue doing what we love the most: learn music, support our students, build community leaders, and provide an environment that is safe, healthy, and reliable for the next generations. THANK YOU!
