By Mike Straus/Contributor

Sandra Kochan says that arts and culture is a fundamental expression of community identity, and it害羞草研究所檚 that guiding belief that has led her to her position as cultural services manager for the City of Kelowna.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 really work in arts and culture 害羞草研究所� I害羞草研究所檓 a public servant. That means I害羞草研究所檓 more involved in managing the public sector budget and finding ways to support and enable arts industry non-profits. I work on some of the broader issues involving the city害羞草研究所檚 role as a funder,害羞草研究所� Kochan said.

Kochan害羞草研究所檚 work typically involves liaising with local arts organizations, community members and city officials to determine how the city can best nurture a growing arts industry.

Over the course of thelast seven years, Kochan害羞草研究所檚 largest project has involved significant contributions to the city害羞草研究所檚 official strategic plan for arts and culture, which city council adopted in 2011.

Kochan says that working on municipal projects for the arts industry presents a variety of opportunities,  the biggest challenge being the city害羞草研究所檚 cultural services division faces is in pursuing multiple opportunities at the same time.

害羞草研究所淎ll of us at the City of Kelowna are very aware of community needs, and we害羞草研究所檙e always juggling competing demands for time, attention, and resources. It害羞草研究所檚 partly a pacing issue 害羞草研究所� you can害羞草研究所檛 get to everything right away, and some projects will take longer than others. Some projects have resource challenges 害羞草研究所� assembling resources for a large project (like the Rotary Centre for the Arts) will take years, maybe even decades. So it害羞草研究所檚 important to be patient and plan carefully,害羞草研究所� Kochan said.

Part of that careful planning involved the creative spaces consultation process, which took place earlier this year. While the city is still compiling the results for an official report, Kochan says the eight focus groups presented a series of unique insights as to what an ideal creative space would look like.

害羞草研究所淓very single focus group gave us at least one 害羞草研究所榓ha害羞草研究所� moment,害羞草研究所� Kochan noted. 害羞草研究所淭he next step will be a gathering next year to bring everyone back together to share information. We害羞草研究所檒l also be looking at examples of shared facilities to learn more about co-located models, and then we害羞草研究所檒l talk about what a made-in-Kelowna solution would look like.害羞草研究所�

The focus group results will also be used to provide insights for an update to the cultural plan that is slated for 2018.

Not content to simply manage the public policy side of art, Kochan is also an avid creator herself. When she害羞草研究所檚 not managing the city害羞草研究所檚 arts agenda, she can be found busking on the streets of Kelowna as part of the local ukulele ensemble Ukenagan.

害羞草研究所淚 also have lots of projects on the go around the house 害羞草研究所� I like to cook and preserve a lot. Plus, this time of year I害羞草研究所檓 an enthusiastic gardener. We害羞草研究所檙e harvesting tomatoes and beans right now.害羞草研究所�

Lately, Kochan has been contemplating the value of mentors and role models.

害羞草研究所淭his has been on my mind, partly because this is the Women to Watch series and partly because I was involved in a presentation through the Chamber of Commerce害羞草研究所檚 Inspire series. As a public servant, there are several women who stand out to me. They speak truth to power, and they害羞草研究所檙e admirable because of their determination. One of them is Cindy Blackstock, a First Nations advocate for childcare. She害羞草研究所檚 had to face a lot of backlash speaking out on government policies,害羞草研究所� Kochan said.

害羞草研究所淚 also admire Sheila Fraser for her ability to be impactful, to speak uncomfortable truths, but to do it in a fair manner.害羞草研究所�

Kochan says that her three careers have taught her a variety of lessons that are now helping her to promote arts and culture in Kelowna.

As a lawyer, she quickly learned the importance of having accurate information.

Her career in sales and marketing for wineries impressed upon her the importance of storytelling, as it害羞草研究所檚 through stories that work takes on meaning.

And as a public servant, Kochan discovered that providing the best possible advice to civic leaders involves creating innovative solutions based on the facts at hand.

Kochan is now putting those skills to use to encourage Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 residents to explore the city害羞草研究所檚 arts amenities.

害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 take it for granted,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淥ur citizen surveys tell us that people are very satisfied with what害羞草研究所檚 available, but we also know that event organizers don害羞草研究所檛 always get the levels of participation they hope for. That害羞草研究所檚 why community support and involvement is important 害羞草研究所� artists need to have audiences for what they do.害羞草研究所�

Kochan says that much of the struggle arises from Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 great variety of arts events害羞草研究所攐ften, there are so many options available that would-be arts supporters don害羞草研究所檛 know which events to attend.

害羞草研究所淕et out there and support what害羞草研究所檚 happening. If artists can害羞草研究所檛 make a living here, they害羞草研究所檙e not going to stay 害羞草研究所� and without artists, we don害羞草研究所檛 have a cultural scene,害羞草研究所� she said.

Crowe MacKay害羞草研究所檚 Women to Watch program is a weekly feature that profiles remarkable women in our community. This feature series is a joint initiative between Crowe MacKay, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and the 害羞草研究所. To nominate the exceptional woman in your life, email womentowatch@kelownachamber.org.