Nelson’s arts, culture and heritage sector plays a significant role in the social, cultural and  economic life of our community. In advance of the 2026 municipal election, we are inviting candidates to share their perspectives on the sector and their priorities should they be elected. The Arts, Culture & Heritage Candidate Survey is conducted by the Nelson & District Arts Council, Nelson Museum, Archives, and Gallery, Oxygen Art Centre, Kootenay Regional Arts Council, Tapatía Collective, and The Capitol Theatre.

The 2026 local election will be held Saturday, October 17, 2026. Eligible voters will elect one mayor and six councillors, as well as two School District 8 trustees.

Two advance voting opportunities will be held at City Hall, 2nd Floor, Council Chambers, on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 and Wednesday, October 14, 2026 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. For more information, visit the City of Nelson website.

In this survey, we hear from Jess Phillips, a Candidate for the office of Councillor.

1. Civic Experience

What experience do you have working in politics?

I haven’t held political office or worked in politics. I’m running as a community member, a mom, a local business owner and someone who cares deeply about Nelson. I’ve served on the boards of Kootenay Kids and the Nelson & District Arts Council, and supported many other non-profits and community groups through volunteerism and/or patronage. 

Earlier in my career, I spent years working alongside people with developmental disabilities and their families. I supported families navigating complex systems, promoted inclusion and community capacity-building, and facilitated hundreds of meetings and workshops that helped individuals with disabilities envision what they want in their lives and the support they need to work toward it. I worked closely with individuals, families, staff, and community organizations to help people participate more fully in their communities.

That work and my community involvement have shaped me. It has taught me to listen carefully, and that people closest to a problem often understand it in ways institutions don’t. It taught me that inclusion isn’t simply inviting someone into a room. It is making sure their voice actually matters once they get there.

I commit to constantly learning, asking questions, working with people with different perspectives, and paying attention to both the human impact and the practical constraints of a decision. And I will remember that the loudest person in the room isn’t necessarily the person most affected by the decision.

I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I have always been a champion for people who are equity-deserving, vulnerable or struggling to be heard. Compassion will be the biggest part of how I approach decisions. But compassion and practicality aren’t opposites. Good government requires both.

What is your knowledge in regards to municipal politics and responsibilities?

I understand that Council sets the City’s direction through its budget, bylaws, policies and land-use decisions. Councillors must consider staff advice, hear from residents and other stakeholders, make decisions together, and be accountable for the results. They also have to understand where the City has authority and where it needs to work with the regional district, the Province, community organizations and others. 

I don’t pretend to know everything I would need to know on day one. I do know how to read carefully, ask useful questions and keep learning. I take the responsibility and ethics of public service seriously.

What vision of community would you bring to city council?

When our family decided to move back to BC in 2016, Nelson was really the only place we wanted to be. The arts and culture scene was a big reason why. We got right to work finding “our people,” and we found them in theatres, dance studios, galleries and community events.

Our kids are growing up doing the Winter Community show at the Capitol Theatre, watching their dad in Black Productions musicals, participating in the Capitol Theatre summer youth programs, and dancing in year-end shows. They even helped paint part of Katie Green’s mural near the SHARE building! This year, I got into the mix myself as a tap dancer in DanceFusion’s year-end show! Usually, though, I’m the person helping behind the scenes, connecting people, showing up and cheering everyone on.

My vision is a Nelson where people can still find that sense of belonging – where a child can try something creative, artists can afford to live and work here, organizations have dependable places to gather, and our public spaces invite people in and are accessible for all. I would bring both my love for this community and my attention to the less glamorous side of the role that helps it thrive: budgets, leases, maintenance, accessibility and planning.

I want the families who have already made Nelson home to be able to stay here. I want people who grew up here to have a realistic opportunity to return. I want our children to be able to imagine a future here if they choose one. And I want families looking for their own place to put down roots to have the opportunity we had in 2016.

2. Community Engagement & Transparency

How would you encourage residents, community organizations, and local non-profits to participate meaningfully in City visioning and decision-making?

I would start by making it easier to know when a decision is coming and how people can affect it. A meeting notice isn’t meaningful engagement if the people most affected hear about it too late or cannot attend.

I’d like to see more short, plain-language updates from the City through more channels: what is being considered, what it may cost, whose input is needed, and what happens next. I would also support meeting people where they are, including through conversations with community organizations, providing accessible ways to give feedback and opportunities to participate before a proposal is set in stone. I truly believe that with better, more “snackable” information updates from the City reporting progress, celebrating successes, and getting the word out on important topics or emergency information, citizens would have a greater sense of involvement and consideration in the municipal governance process. 

The City website has seen some fantastic upgrades in the last 4 years, but could do more as a starting point for residents and visitors looking for local resources, including arts and cultural opportunities. Linking to and championing organizations the city partners with to provide space and program funding, etc., would be a simple way to show further support and help our community find resources and ways to get involved more easily. I’d also like to celebrate what community groups accomplish, while being clear about what the City contributed.

How would you ensure transparency and accountability in your own decision-making?

I would explain the reasons for my decisions, including the costs, trade-offs, and information I relied on. I’d be willing to say when I need to learn more or when new information changes my view. My family is personally involved in Nelson’s arts community. I would be open about those connections and follow the City’s conflict-of-interest rules, seeking advice and stepping away when ethically required. I want fair and transparent processes that people can understand and trust.

3. Understanding Nelson’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Sector

What is your impression of Nelson’s arts, culture, and heritage sector?

It is honestly one of the most remarkable things about Nelson! An incredible range of creative people make Nelson home: artists, performers, teachers, technicians, organizers, volunteers, historians, and art-loving audiences. The Nelson International Mural Festival, ArtWalk, the Capitol Theatre, NMAG, the dance community and historic downtown are all part of a culture that people actively make together.

I have served on the board of NDAC, worked behind the curtain for musical productions, been on the stage in Winter Community productions at the Capitol Theatre, photographed our budding thespians on the Capitol stage, and been an audience member at countless events and performances. I also volunteer at Slava’s Dance Studio, making their admin burden a little lighter. 

What moves me most is how people support one another. I see it in the dance community when students, teachers and families turn up for each other’s performances. I see it backstage, where a show depends on far more people than the audience will ever meet. That generosity is a huge part of what makes Nelson feel like Nelson.

What role do you believe it plays in our community?

An essential one. Arts and culture help people make friends, find a voice and feel at home. Heritage helps us understand the place we live in and the stories we choose to preserve and tell. The sector also supports jobs, local businesses and tourism.

For my family, it has been a huge part of raising our kids here. They have learned to make things with other people, take a chance onstage, gain confidence, and appreciate the work that goes into someone else’s creation. I want those opportunities to be here for the next family that arrives, and for families who have been here long term or for generations.

4. Understanding the Non-Profit Sector

Are you familiar with the operational realities and funding models of non-profit arts, culture, and heritage organizations?

Yes, though I would still have more to learn from the people running them. I have served on community boards (NDAC and Kootenay Kids) and worked with the Capitol and Civic Theatres. I have seen how much administration, fundraising, grant writing, scheduling, and volunteer coordination goes into the work behind the scenes.

These organizations often piece together earned revenue, donations, grants, sponsorships, volunteer time and support from different levels of government. A full audience doesn’t necessarily mean an organization is financially comfortable, especially when it is also trying to pay artists and staff fairly and keep programs accessible.

What do you see as the primary challenges facing these organizations today?

Reliable funding and affordable space are major challenges. So are aging buildings, rising operating costs and the pressure on a small number of staff and volunteers to keep doing more. Artists and cultural workers face the same housing and cost-of-living pressures as everyone else in Nelson.

There are also real costs to making spaces and programs accessible, responding to climate risks such as heat and wildfire smoke, and building respectful relationships across communities. I would want to hear directly from organizations about which pressures the City can meaningfully help with, rather than assume every group needs the same thing.

I also believe we need to do everything we can to respond to climate change, as growing climate unpredictability will affect events and outdoor pursuits more and more.

5. Truth, Reconciliation & Indigenous Relationships

Arts, culture and heritage organizations have an important role to play in truth, reconciliation and decolonization. 

What learning have you undertaken with Indigenous peoples, histories, and communities connected to this territory?

I know that Nelson is on the unceded traditional territories of the Sinixt, Syilx and Metis, and Ktunaxa peoples, and I have much more to learn about their histories, cultures and present-day priorities here.

A meaningful early connection in my life was with Beverly Hungry Wolf, a Canadian writer, member of the Blackfoot Confederacy, educator, and cultural advocate. 

My mother and Beverly were very connected, and we were included in many special aspects of Beverly’s heritage and culture. It wasn’t out of the ordinary; it was just community. Beverly lived with our family for a time when we were in Yahk. That childhood connection and the stories she told me matter to me, but it does not give me any expertise in the histories of the peoples whose territory Nelson occupies, just a personal connection and deep, respectful foundation. I would approach that learning with humility and listen to the people whose knowledge and relationships with this land are their own.

Have you built relationships with the Indigenous community?

I haven’t actively built those relationships in Nelson in recent years. I will make time for that work, follow the relationships and protocols already in place, and learn how I can contribute without expecting Indigenous people to teach me. I am 100% willing to put the work in.

I have not made this a dedicated focus but intend to. I will reach out to friends in the community who have deep, respectful connections and have (and continue to) do the work, and invite them to share their learning journeys so I can draw inspiration from their paths. I will commit to do the work to truly understand the importance and complexity of Indigenous people in this area.

How do you see City Council leadership contributing meaningfully to this work?

In every way, I believe the City Council and management are temporary stewards of our city and lands, and we must work together with Indigenous peoples to respect and preserve the home we share for all of our children. 

Council can make sure reconciliation is reflected in decisions and relationships, not only in words at the start of a meeting. That means listening to the Indigenous peoples connected to this territory, making room for their leadership, and supporting opportunities for Indigenous artists and knowledge keepers to tell their own stories on their own terms.

I appreciate the work local cultural organizations such as the museum (NMAG), Capitol Theatre, and the NDAC have done so far, and I want to continue supporting this and engage other organizations to make space for this learning. I would want the City to support that work while also examining its own practices – in public art, heritage interpretation, planning, and stewardship of land and water.

6. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility

What learning or experience have you had related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility?

In my first career, I supported individuals with developmental disabilities to participate more equitably in the community. I supported people with developmental disabilities to participate in the communities they chose, in roles that were meaningful to them. When it comes to the arts, for example, that could mean being an artist, a performer, an audience member, a volunteer or a supporter. The point was to help make those possibilities real, rather than decide on someone else’s behalf what their participation should look like. I believe that the gamut of roles should be available for anyone in our community to pursue, and individuals who require more support to access these opportunities should be accommodated.

Physical accessibility to our arts venues should be of utmost importance to the city. Any new projects and alterations to older buildings should be non-negotiable, but I also want to listen to the community most directly affected, take stock of the frustrating physical barriers in our community, and have a plan to formally address them through city planning. The city has an accessibility plan, and I would love to dig in and see where we are at with that, and what we need to do next. I would like to engage the citizens who are directly affected by the barriers that are sometimes in place and difficult to navigate.

My mom and I also started a Cycling Without Age chapter in Cranbrook, and I’m a big fan of the people doing that work here in Nelson. Their partnership with the Mural Fest and Tiny Lights is providing accessibility for people who would not otherwise be able to get down Nelson’s back alleys or Ymir’s steep paths on foot the chance to enjoy the opportunity. Experiences like these have taught me to notice barriers that someone else might never have to think about – and, more importantly, to ask the people encountering those barriers what needs to change.

If elected, how would these principles influence your work as a City Councillor?

Again, I’d always look through a lens of lifting others up and ensuring equitable access to our city services, funding, and support, and I’d approach every opinion and decision from a place of empathy. I want a Nelson that continues to support arts, culture and heritage; I want my kids to be involved and see the value. I would ask who can participate, who is missing, and what is standing in their way. In the arts, that can mean the price of admission or lessons, whether a venue can be entered and used comfortably, transportation, accessible information, or whether someone feels welcome when they arrive.

I would support practical steps such as subsidies and family pricing where possible, accessible City communications and events, and improvements to public buildings and spaces. I would also want people with disabilities and other affected community members to be involved in identifying and prioritizing changes. Good intentions are a starting point; people requiring accommodation in Nelson need to see real and meaningful action.

7. Participation in Arts, Culture & Heritage

How often do you attend an arts and culture event in the community?

As often as I can – which is very often! Between our kids’ activities, performances, concerts, exhibitions, festivals and fundraisers, the arts have been a regular part of our family life in Nelson for the past ten years.

Do you or have you ever volunteered for an arts, culture, or heritage non-profit?

Yes. I served on the Nelson & District Arts Council board, have volunteered with Slava Doval’s DanceFusion and the Capitol Theatre, and have helped behind the scenes with productions. I also ran and personally supported Nelson Kids, a website and Facebook community that helped families discover local activities and cultural opportunities.

Do you purchase local artworks or support the sector in other ways?

The biggest piece of art in my home is made by a Creston artist, and I have many pieces of pottery from local artists, and buy most of my gifts for others not from here from local artists and makers. I am so proud to share some of the beautiful artifacts our community creates. 

I support musicians in our community by attending concerts, events and fundraisers. I love that buying original art is accessible to many who wouldn’t typically have the opportunity to purchase it at ArtWalk each year.

List 8 cultural organizations and businesses that deliver community-based arts.

• Nelson & District Arts Council
• Capitol Theatre Restoration Society
• Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery
• Nelson Civic Theatre Society
• Oxygen Art Centre
• Kootenay School of the Arts Society
• Slava Doval’s DanceFusion
• Black Productions

Bonus answer: Elephant Mountain Literary Festival

8. The Future of Arts, Culture & Heritage in Nelson

What do you believe are the most important contributions arts, culture, and heritage make to Nelson?

They give people a way to belong and contribute. They help children discover what they can do, bring generations together, support livelihoods, and make our public places feel alive. Heritage reminds us that the city we enjoy today was shaped by choices people made before us – and that we are making choices for the people who come next.

The sector also gives Nelson its character. Our beautiful surroundings matter enormously, but so do the people who fill this place with music, murals, stories, movement and ideas.

What would you as a councillor do to support the sector’s growth?

I would support the heck out of it, but I am also realistic enough to know that there are always budgetary constraints and competing priorities. I would endeavour to learn and listen closely to the sector, support dependable and affordable cultural spaces, and consider arts, culture and heritage when Council makes decisions about buildings, public space, downtown, housing and economic development. I would look for opportunities to make City processes clearer for organizations seeking space, permits or support.

I would also pay attention to what helps an organization remain healthy after an exciting project launch, opening or achievement – maintenance, workable lease terms, accessibility, and the capacity to run programs year after year will be important to consider for sustainability.

How do you think the sector could be strengthened over the next four years?

Build on the partnerships already happening and make them easier to sustain. The transition of the former Kootenay School of the Arts building into 606 Arts Space shows what can happen when organizations work together to protect a place for creativity. I would like to see the City keep learning from efforts like that.

I would also support better coordination among arts organizations and with schools, businesses, tourism and community services. Shared information, shared spaces and thoughtful partnerships can create more opportunity and engagement.

9. Municipal Investment

Do you believe municipal investment in Nelson’s arts, culture, and heritage sector should be maintained or increased?

I would protect the support that helps the sector function, and be open to increasing investment where there is a clear need and a strong case for community benefit. That might mean an accessibility improvement, a building repair, affordable space, or a project that brings in other funding. I wouldn’t want to promise a blanket increase without seeing the City’s full budget and the needs in front of us.

How would you balance investment in the sector with the other demands on the City’s budget?

I would look at what the City is spending now and what it achieves. Some benefits can be counted in dollars, attendance, or use of a space. Others show up in a young person finding confidence, a senior making a connection, or a family deciding Nelson feels like home. I want us to measure what we reasonably can, listen for what the numbers miss, and report back on both successes and challenges.

A careful examination of what is working well now and what could be improved. 

Track and measure success, knowing metrics aren’t always concrete; we need to look at social value and find more ways to measure the economic impact of the arts and culture sector here in Nelson. Data can be reliable, but sometimes we need to measure it more creatively. Start by defining measures of success and what we can actually measure, then build in other ways to show the impact of these activities in our community. 

Celebrate wins, learn from roadblocks and challenges, and document it along the way. Archives and evaluation are so important to any initiative.

10. Affordable & Accessible Cultural Space

The cost and availability of cultural spaces is an increasing challenge for artists, cultural workers and non-profit organizations. 

What role do you believe the City should play in protecting and supporting affordable spaces for arts, culture, and heritage services in Nelson?

What role do you believe the City should play in developing affordable cultural spaces?

Again, an essential role and the only way some arts organizations are going to survive and thrive. The Civic Centre and Kootenay School of the 606 Arts Space are prime recent examples. 

I would want the City to be a reliable partner: clear about building plans and costs, thoughtful about lease terms, and attentive to accessibility and long-term maintenance. Stability lets organizations plan programs, retain people and spend more energy serving the community.

The City can work with organizations to understand what kinds of spaces are missing, make good use of buildings it already has, and consider cultural uses when planning public facilities and redevelopment. It can also help bring partners together and look for outside funding.

11. Arts, Culture & Heritage in City Planning

How should arts, culture and heritage be considered within broader municipal decisions related to the following:

• Economic development and tourism? 

Arts, culture and heritage are a major tourism driver and should be part of Nelson’s broader economic development. Our historic buildings, local artists, performances, festivals and cultural spaces help make Nelson a place people want to visit, live and work.

• City and specifically downtown planning and the development of public space?

Arts and Culture should be considered especially in our historic downtown and in our shared public spaces. The Hall St Pier is a recent example of this; as controversial as it was for the cost, funding sources, and practicality, I believe creating this space has invited more creativity and community gathering. The evening gatherings from some of our dance community have been just magical!

• Affordable housing for cultural workers? 

Visitors who come for cultural experiences also support our restaurants, shops, accommodations and other local businesses. The people who create those experiences are part of our local economy too, and need affordable places to live, work, rehearse and present their work.

This is also a broader conversation about the housing availability in our town in general. We need more purpose-built 2- and 3-bedroom rentals for families, market value and subsidized. I admit I am inexperienced with the finer details of how the city supports housing development, as it is largely a provincial mandate, but I do see the city being a big part of actively supporting or making housing initiatives easier through partnering, prioritizing, and permitting, as we have seen at Railtown and the Chamber of Commerce with their employee-focused housing development.

What role do arts, culture and heritage play in community wellbeing?

Arts, culture and heritage help people feel connected to one another and to the place they call home. They create opportunities to gather, express ourselves, learn from different experiences and build a sense of belonging.

I have seen how much participating in dance, theatre and other creative activities can mean to my kids and their friends. These experiences build confidence, friendships and connections across generations. They can also help reduce isolation and give people a meaningful way to contribute to their community.

Heritage helps us understand how our community came to be. That includes recognizing Indigenous histories and living cultures, and making room for stories that have not always been represented.

Nelson is so rich in history, and we are fortunate to have organizations that preserve and share it. The Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, including its Shawn Lamb Archives, helps keep our community’s records and stories accessible for future generations. I also appreciate the museum’s commitment to reconciliation, meaningful partnerships with Indigenous Nations, and including voices that have been missing from our region’s story.

The Nelson Electric Tramway Society and its dedicated volunteers also bring our history to life through the preservation and operation of Streetcar 23. These efforts help connect generations and deepen our understanding of the history of Nelson.

I believe the City should consider access to arts and culture as part of community wellbeing, including affordable programs and welcoming, accessible spaces. I want people of all ages, incomes and abilities to have opportunities to participate in the creative life of Nelson.

12. Your Commitment

If elected, what is one concrete action you would like to see City Council and the City of Nelson take during the next Council term to strengthen arts, culture, and heritage in our community?

In addition to continuing the current administration’s incredible support for the arts, cultural, and heritage communities, and my family’s personal support for the community, I would like to focus on equitable access, physical and financial.

I would like the City to work with its accessibility committee, people with disabilities, and local organizations to review barriers at City-owned cultural venues and City-supported events. I would like the City to initiate (or draw from if already done) a venue-by-venue accessibility assessment for City-owned cultural spaces, along with a review of barriers at City-supported events. That review should include access into and around buildings, seating and washrooms, event information, websites, and other barriers people identify. The plan should say what can be done soon, what requires capital funding, and how progress will be reported publicly. Nelson already has an accessibility plan; I want to help turn that commitment into changes people can see and use in our cultural and public spaces.

There are already examples of community organizations in our community(many receiving city funds), proving their commitment to this by offering financial barrier-free access to dress rehearsals, sliding-scale or lower-cost tickets, bursaries, initiatives with community partners like Bigby Place, updating websites to comply with accessibility regulations and best practices, as well as creating accessible places when opportunity exists, such as the Civic Theatre Society, a non-profit organization housed at the Civic Centre, a city-owned building.

I would also like to support different sectors in our community coming together to achieve this and other shared goals. Again, our community has many examples of private businesses and individuals stepping up to support access to the arts and culture scene, from the dance class bursary offered by Positive Apparel through Slava’s Dance Fusion to the sponsors at the back of the program at every community offering at the Capitol; we live in a community of supporters. Connecting and celebrating these partnerships publicly is an easy way for the city to ensure our connection to arts, culture, and heritage isn’t just reputation or history, but a lived reality today and tomorrow.