The British Columbia Art Teacher's Association (BCATA) is a society of teachers dedicated to supporting and promoting quality art education for all British Columbia students. The association provides a network for art educators at the primary, intermediate and graduate levels. In addition to networking, professional development and collaboration is also a large part of the BCATA, with over 600 art educators in Canada ranging from kindergarten to post-secondary art education as members.

Each year the BCATA aims to build on the information and ideas that are shared between members at their annual BC Art Teacher's Conference. This year is a special one for the BCATA, as they are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their association. Celebration 2006 will be held in Coquitlam at Gleneagle Secondary on February 16th, 17th and 18th, 2006. To mark this milestone, a number of special events have been planned—kicking off the festivities is the opening reception featuring the emerging talent exhibition and films from the BCATA Student Film Festival.

A gala dinner will be held on Friday evening with fabulous food prepared by the students in the Culinary Arts programs and Gleneagle and Riverside Secondary Schools. SWARM, the extreme percussion orchestra whose performers present theatrical shows of invented instruments, original music, comedic vignettes and intense physical choreography, will provide entertainment.

A special line-up of keynote speakers includes a number of established artists and educators. Nick Bantock, the author and artist behind the Griffin & Sabine saga. His most recent book Urgent 2nd Class is a book for those who wish to learn how to embellish and tamper with old documents, envelopes and other ephemeral scraps. Dr. Robert Kelly is an assistant professor in the Department of Art at the University of Calgary. He teaches studio art and art education and his research areas encompass artist process, creativity theory, design, and curriculum theory and design. Dr. Sharon McCoubrey is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at UBC Okanagan specializing in art education. Her research focuses on teacher's beliefs, preparation of art teachers, folk art, public art, aboriginal teacher education, and community-school partnerships. Jason Murphy is the Head of Foundation Visual Art & Design of the Vancouver Film School. Jason's experience includes roles as the owner and Creative Director of Fire450 Creative Services, Creative Director of Vision Critical Communications.

Workshops during the conference will be offered Friday and Saturday and will be geared towards primary, middle and secondary teachers in the strands of Art Process, Responding to Art, Integrating Art, Media Arts and Art Careers. There will also be an active Marketplace with commercial and educational displays, including an Opus booth that will host demonstrations and have information hand outs.

For more information on Celebration 2006 visit the BCATA Website at www.bctf.ca/psas/BCATA/2006/index.html or you can email Conference Co-Chairs, Bronwen Young at b-myoung@shaw.ca or Taimi McMillan at tmcmillan@sd43.bc.ca