Host Peter McCully welcomes Jen Bate, the director of the MacMillan Arts Centre, to the PQBeat podcast.

Bate reflects on the success of hosting Canada's National Mosaic conference.

"We welcomed probably 11,000 people to the MAC this summer,” she said. “We drew visitors from all over. We had a wonderful opening cocktail with mosaic artists from all over the country and then proceeded with what was a significant exhibit in the area for mosaics artists and fans out there."

Looking ahead, Bate explains that for BC Culture Days 2024, Parksville has been chosen as the opening city for the province, promising a spectacular celebration of arts and culture.

"Not only are we going to run some great programs that we have done every year but we are going to be the kickoff city for the province."

The episode also touches on the collaboration with the Beach Festival Society, highlighting the anticipation for Rock the Park Festival with a lineup featuring iconic bands and plans for a Route 19A Music Festival in September, showcasing a diverse range of music in various venues.

Bate provides a sneak peek into upcoming Mac School spring classes, offering a range of artistic experiences from block printing to mosaic workshops and shares the story of the Mac Community Garden, a 4,500-square-foot experimental space promoting conversation and education about food security.

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