The newspaper joins me in commending our colleague Lissa Brewer for her stewardship of Coast Weekend these past three years. We wish her success in new ventures. 

Her contribution to spreading the word about the arts in the Columbia-Pacific region has been stellar.

And that important mission continues.

A quote attributed to Winston Churchill regularly pops up on Internet memes. During the height of World War II bombing, it was suggested that Britain cut back on “non-essential” spending like the arts. His supposed reply, “Then what are we fighting for?”

Sadly, this brilliant reply has been thoroughly debunked by scholars who cannot locate it in Churchill’s volumious archives.

But the concept has merit. Society today is fractured by political and economic divisions. The arts can enhance life or heal, even for a short while. Coast Weekend seeks to play a small part in that process at the grassroots level by getting the word out, ideally inspiring people to support the arts by their presence and involvement.

A painting can capture feelings. A book takes us on an adventure. A theater performance can depict shared values and common experiences, as well as extraordinary ones. Music is surely the greatest creation of all; there is nothing like it to soothe the soul, to inspire and uplift. And comedy is important, too. Right now, we all need a good laugh.

The arts bring joy, affirmation and inspiration, whatever the climate. Our goal is to celebrate it all.