The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art in Kelowna, B.C., is an artist-run centre operated by the Okanagan Artists Alternative Association, a non-profit society created in 1989. The Alternator is the oldest and largest artist-run centre between Calgary and Vancouver.
 
The Alternator offers year-round exhibitions of contemporary art in all media by regional, national and international artists. Artist talks, exchanges, workshops, panel discussions and other events promote awareness of contemporary art practices and create a forum for the exchange of ideas within the artistic community. The Alternator Media Arts Centre offers members access to a video production facility and organizes workshops, screenings and commissioning projects.
 
The Alternator's other activities include visiting artist-in-residency projects and the Wearable Art Gala. Dissemination activities include publication of regular exhibition brochures and occasional catalogues that further critical discourse about contemporary art. The gallery publishes a biannual newsletter. The Alternator is part of a national network of 150 artist-run centres and some collectives that collectively offer space for creative research and development in the arts. Artist-run centres are an accessible alternative to commercial and public galleries and have given early exhibition experience to many of Canada's leading artists.
 
Please see our Links section for information about other artist-run centres. The Alternator is a member of the Pacific Association of Artist-Run Centres and the Independent Media Arts Alliance.

 
...operate an artist-run art gallery as an alternative to the municipal and commercial art galleries in the Okanagan region.
 
...exhibit high-quality contemporary art by member and non-member artists.
 
...provide a forum for the exchange of ideas about contemporary art.
 
...support and encourage innovative and experimental art.
 
...provide a venue for unorthodox or controversial art that cannot be seen in municipal or commercial galleries.
 
...support and encourage promising new artists.
 
...sponsor or collaborate with other artists to carry out special artistic projects.
 
...foster knowledge skills important to practicing artists.
 
...establish links with other artist-run galleries to share information and opportunities.
 
...record and publicize activities of the association.
 
...collect information about current artistic events in the form of books, periodicals, newsletters, catalogues, tapes and other documents as a resource for members and the general public.
 
...enrich the visual arts and culture of the Okanagan region.

If you are interested in joining the Alternator you can download this form or click here to become a member!
Basic Membership
Members receive:
  •  discounts on events and workshops
  •  invitations to exhibition openings
  •  advance notice of upcoming events
  •  subscription to the bi-annual newsletter
  •  $5 off Kelowna Art Gallery membership
  •  discounts at local businesses
  •  opportunity to vote at general meetings
  •  basic online Members' Gallery privileges


Full Membership
Members receive:
  •  all regular membership benefits (see above)
  •  participation in members' exhibitions
  •  residency opportunities
  •  full online Members' Gallery privileges
  •  access to the media arts centre - video production and editing equipment, lighting, audio, etc

All membership fees mentioned are due annually.

The Cost
    Basic Membership: $25
    Basic Students/Seniors Membership: $15
    Full Membership: $50
    Full Student/Senior Membership: $30

If you want submission calls forwarded by e-mail from artist-run centres other than the Alternator, usually one message per week, please tick the box indicating that you want to receive these. Calls for submission for Alternator events are routinely forwarded to all members.
 
If you tick the box indicating that you want to volunteer, you will be added to an e-mail list to which we occasionally send messages, or phone seeking help with various events and exhibitions.
 
The Alternator accepts cheques, cash or online payments.

Donations beyond memberships are graciously accepted at all times of year. As a growing organization there are multiple projects you can donate toward. Tax receipts will be sent for donation amounts over $25. If you are interested in discussing making a donation and would like more information please contact the Alternator at 250.868.2298 or dir@alternatorgallery.com.

The Alternator is supported by funding from the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government, private foundations and community organizations, business and private sponsorships and donations, and earned revenues that include membership fees, voluntary admissions, and revenues from fundraising events.
 
Operational Support:
  •  The Canada Council for the Arts
  •  The Province of BC through the BC Arts Council
  •  The BC Gaming Commission
  •  The City of Kelowna Arts Foundation

 
Project Support has been received from:
  •  Heritage Canada
  •  Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
  •  The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan
  •  The Spirit of BC
  •  The Central Okanagan Foundation
  •  The Hamber Foundation
  •  The Vancouver Foundation

  •  Arts Partners in Creative Development

Community Supporters:
Bean Scene Coffee House, Becky Wallace, Bliss, Blonde, Body Nature Healing Arts, Camera Express, City of Kelowna Cultural Services, Chatters Salon, Cream Hair & Makeup Event, Funktional, Lois Lane, Lululemon, IGA, Meghan Wise, Mon Thong, OK Builders, Opus Framing and Art Supplies, Ric's Grill, Sage Natural Wellness, Staccatos Gelateria, Summerhill Pyramic Winery, Tree Brewing, Yamas Restaurant, The Wardrobe, The Grand Okanagan, Urban Harvest, Vespa Kelowna, Wild Apple Grill, Fortis, HomeHardware, Ogopogo (Rotary Club), Le Club des petits déjeuner, École de l’Anse-au-Sable, Athena Custom Framing LTD, Andrée & Venence Côté, Lin Schierling, Royal LePage, Ken D’Albertanson, Mearl’s, Machine Works Ltd., Karen Knutsen, ReMax, Summerhill Winery, Kelowna Performance Collision, Gilbert Creative Group Inc., Opus Framing and Art Supplies, Multiple Dimensions Enterprises Inc., Scott Landry, Portable Sign Rentals, Kimmitt & Co. Barristers and Solicitors, Home Depot, Dr. Hill, Reflections Dental Center, Dominic Picher, Innovative Design Solutions, Dan Dorssers, Cruiser Contracting Ltd., Nicole Major, At Your Service Renovations, Gisèle Nemr, Papito’s Pizza, Kettle Valley, Elaine Wylie, C.G.A., Bruno Clouthier, Concept Flooring, Uptown Interiors Fine Furnishings, Ginette Sigouin, Interior Design, Donald Godon, All Design Renovations, Roger Hébert, Aerius Engineering Ltd., Mary Ellen & Paul Gabias, Nikken, Torbram Electric Supply, Josée Pelletier, WFG Securities of Canada Inc., Squeeky Cheese, Laughing Moon Restaurant, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Staples, Aline Nickel, Kidz Namz, Catherine Sylvaine, Full Moon, Greg Smith, Physiotherapy, Life Style by Dionne Perron, La Bohème, Marmalade Cat Café, Fly DJ's, Idea Bureau, Home Hardware, SW Audio Visual, Off Centre Magazine

National Alliance of Artist-Run Centres and Collectives
    •  Natl Alliance of Artist-Run Centres & Collectives
    •  Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres
    •  Alberta Association of Artist Run Centres
    •  Regroupement des centres d'artistes autogérés
    •  Artist Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario
    •  Association of Artist Run Centres from the Atlantic
    •  Plains Artist Run Centres Association
    •  Manitoba Visual Arts Association
    •  Independent Media Arts Alliance

 
British Columbia
    •  Access Artist Run Centre, Vancouver
    •  Artspeak Gallery, Vancouver
    •  CineVic, Victoria
    •  Cineworks, Vancouver
    •  Gallery Gachet, Vancouver
    •  Grunt Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Helen Pitt Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Independent Community Television, Vancouver
    •  Moving Images Distribution, Vancouver
    •  Open Space, Victoria
    •  Or Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres, Vancouver
    •  Ullus Collective, Penticton
    •  Video In Studios, Vancouver
    •  Western Front, Vancouver

 
Alberta
    •  Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers, Calgary
    •  EM/Media, Calgary
    •  Film and Video Arts Society Alberta, Edmonton
    •  Harcourt House, Edmonton
    •  Latitude 53, Edmonton
    •  Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary
    •  Society of Northern Alberta Print-Artists, Edmonton
    •  Stride Gallery, Calgary
    •  The New Gallery, Calgary
    •  Truck, Calgary
    •  Untitled Art Society, Calgary

 
Manitoba
    •  Ace Art Inc., Winnipeg
    •  Platform Gallery, Winnipeg
    •  Mentoring Artists for Women's Art, Winnipeg
    •  Plug In Inc., Winnipeg
    •  Video Pool, Winnipeg
    •  Winnipeg Film Group, Winnipeg

 
New Brunswick
    •  Festival intl. du cinéma francophone, Moncton
    •  Gallery Connexion, Fredericton
    •  New Brunswick Filmakers Co-op, Fredericton
    •  Struts, Sackville

 
Newfoundland
    •  Resource Centre for the Arts, St. John's
    •  Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John's
    •  Newfoundland Indept. Filmmakers Co-op, St. John's

 
Nova Scotia
    •  Atlantic Filmakers' CO OP, Halifax
    •  Bathroom Gallery, Halifax
    •  Centre For Art Tapes, Halifax
    •  EyeLevelGallery, Halifax

 
Ontario
    •  A Space, Toronto
    •  Artcite, Windsor
    •  Art Metropole, Toronto
    •  Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre, Toronto
    •  Charles St. Video, Toronto
    •  Common Ground, Windsor
    •  Ed Video Media Arts Centre, Guelph
    •  Forest City Gallery, London
    •  Gallery 101, Ottawa
    •  Gallery 1313, Toronto
    •  Gallery 44, Toronto
    •  Hamilton Artists Inc., Hamilton
    •  House of Toast, Windsor
    •  Images Festival, Toronto
    •  Independent Filmmakers Co-Op of Ottawa, Ottawa
    •  InterAccess, Toronto
    •  Liaison of Indept. Filmmakers of Toronto, Toronto
    •  Mercer Union, Toronto
    •  Modern Fuel Gallery, Kingston
    •  Niagara Artists Company, St. Catharines
    •  Open Studio, Toronto
    •  SAW Gallery, Ottawa
    •  SAW Video, Ottawa
    •  Terminal Gallery, Ottawa
    •  Trinity Square Video, Toronto
    •  Vtape, Toronto
    •  YYZ Artists' Outlet, Toronto
    •  White Water Gallery, North Bay
    •  Women's Art Resource Centre, Toronto

 
Prince Edward Island
    •  Island Media Arts Co-Op, Charlottetown

 
Québec
    •  Articule, Montréal
    •  Avatar
    •  Centre de Production DAÏMÕN, Gatineau
    •  Centre des Arts Actuels SKOL, Montréal
    •  Champ Libre, Montréal
    •  DARE-DARE, Montréal
    •  Galerie Clark, Montréal
    •  Galerie Verticale, Québec
    •  Groupe Intervention Video, Montréal
    •  L'Œil de Poisson, Québec
    •  La Bande Video, Québec
    •  La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse, Montréal
    •  La Chambre Blanche, Québec
    •  Langage Plus, Alma
    •  Oboro, Montréal
    •  Séquence, Chicoutimi
    •  Spirafilm, Québec
    •  Vidéo Femmes, Québec
    •  Vidéographe, Montréal

 
Saskatchewan
    •  AKA Artist-Run Centre, Saskatoon
    •  Neutral Ground, Regina
    •  Saskatchewan Filmpool Co-op, Regina

British Columbia
    •  Art Gallery Of Greater Victoria, Victoria
    •  Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Emily Carr Institute, Vancouver
    •  En'owkin Centre, Penticton
    •  Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver
    •  Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops
    •  Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna
    •  Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Simon Fraser University, Burnaby
    •  Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey
    •  UBC Okanagan, Creative and Critical Studies
    •  Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver
    •  Vancouver Cultural Alliance, Vancouver

 
Alberta
    •  Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary
    •  Art Gallery of Calgary, Calgary
    •  Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff
    •  Calgary Aboriginal Arts Awareness Society, Calgary
    •  The Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton
    •  Glenbow Museum, Calgary
    •  Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary
    •  One Yellow Rabbit, Calgary
    •  Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge
    •  Triangle Gallery, Calgary
    •  University of Calgary Department of Art, Calgary
    •  University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge

 
Nova Scotia
    •  Dalhousie Art Gallery, Halifax
    •  NSCAD University, Halifax

 
Ontario
    •  Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
    •  AWOL Gallery, Toronto
    •  Gallery Arcturus, Toronto
    •  McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
    •  National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
    •  Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto
    •  Ryerson, Toronto
    •  The Power Plant, Toronto
    •  Union Gallery, Kingston
    •  University of Windsor, Visual Arts, Windsor

 
Québec
    •  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
    •  Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull
    •  Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts, Montréal
    •  StudioXX, Montréal
    •  Virtual Museum of Canada, Gatineau
    •  Vox Populi, Montréal

 
Saskatchewan
    •  Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina
    •  MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina
    •  Paved Arts, Saskatoon

 
Yukon
    •  Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, Dawson City
    •  Yukon Arts Centre

 
Other
    •  ArcPost
    •  Cultural Human Resources Council

 
International
    •  P.S.1, New York
    •  Upper North Side: Canada in NY, New York
    •  White Box Gallery, New York
    •  Vox Populi, Philadelphia
    •  Worldwide Art Gallery, Australia

The Alternator Gallery for Contemporary Art présente des oeuvres contemporaines de toute sorte, réalisées tant par des artistes canadiens et étrangers de la relève que par des artistes établis. Alternator a pour mandat de promouvoir les oeuvres novatrices et expérimentales, de présenter le fruit de démarches non traditionnelles ou controversées, d'appuyer les nouveaux artistes prometteurs et de collaborer avec des artistes à la réalisation de projects spéciaux.
 
Le centre assume également le rôle de forum, en permettant l'échange d'idées entre la communauté artistiqe et le grand public. Il enrichit ainsi, par son apport singulier, les arts visuels et la culture dans la région de l'Okanagan. Alternator encourage les artistes et les commissaires, notamment celles et ceux issus des communautés autochtones et des autres minorités sous-représentées, à proposer des projets. La galerie respecte les recommandations de CARFAC en matière de paiement de droits.
 
Alternator est l'un des principaux locataires du Rotary Centre for the Arts, complexe artistque communautaire inauguré en 2002 et voué aux arts, qui se situe dans le quartier culturel du centre-ville de Kelowna. La galerie est divisée en deux espaces distincts – une galerie principale et un espace réservé aux projets spéciaux. De plus, Alternator assure la programmation d'une haute vitrine extérieure, qui mesure 24 pieds de longeur.
 
The Alternator Media Arts Centre, inauguré en 2002, occupe le Studio 111. Il met à la disposition des artistes une caméra vidéo et un poste de montage, en plus d'organiser des visionnements, ateliers, résidences et autres activités.
 
Depuis 2003, Alternator propose des résidences aux artistes canadiens et étrangers. Il lance périodiquement des appels de candidatures pour accueillir des artistes dans le cadre de résidences thématiques, lesquelles sont caractérisées par l'utilisation d'éléments spécifiques au lieu. Ces séjours offrent aux artistes la possibilité d'effectuer des recherches et de produire, d'exposer et de diffuser un travail critique tout en interagissant avec les membres de la communauté locale par le biais de conférences, de visionnements, d'ateliers et de visites de studio.
 
La galerie publie des catalogues à l'occasion et régulièrement des brochures renfermant des essais critiques portant sur les expositions. Un bulletin paraît également deux fois l'an.