Elevate the Arts 2026

The Unite the Arts Society welcomes you to the Second Annual Elevate the Arts Fundraising Auction, a community wide fundraiser in support of local arts, culture, and community organizations, including the Unite the Arts Society and the Ignite the Arts Festival, the Penticton Elks Lodge No. 51 Elevator Fund, the Purple Pantry, and many more.

Supporting the arts. Supporting community.

The Elevate the Arts Fundraising Auction is about more than raising money. It is about investing in the organizations, events, services, and people who make our community stronger. Every dollar raised helps build a healthier, more connected, more creative, and more prosperous South Okanagan.

Arts and culture are not simply entertainment. They are essential to the social and economic health of every thriving community.

They create places where people come together, build friendships, share ideas, and celebrate the diversity of our community. They inspire creativity, encourage lifelong learning, support physical and mental well being, reduce social isolation, and create opportunities for people of all ages to participate, volunteer, and belong. These experiences strengthen the social fabric of our community and help create a place where people feel connected, valued, and proud to call home.

The impact extends far beyond the arts.

A vibrant cultural sector attracts visitors, supports local businesses, fills restaurants, hotels, and shops, creates employment, and generates economic activity throughout the region. Festivals, performances, exhibitions, markets, and community events encourage people to spend time and money locally while showcasing everything that makes the South Okanagan such a remarkable place to live and visit. They help attract new residents, retain skilled workers, encourage investment, and contribute to a resilient and diverse economy.

This year's auction brings together artists, arts organizations, businesses, community groups, and residents from across snpintktn (Penticton) because we all benefit from a strong cultural community. Every donated item, every sponsorship, every bid, and every ticket purchased helps sustain the organizations that provide arts education, public programs, festivals, performances, exhibitions, community gathering spaces, accessibility initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and essential services that enrich lives every day.

The organizations supported through this event are creating opportunities for children to discover their creativity, giving young people places to belong, helping adults learn new skills, keeping seniors active and connected, supporting community wellness, improving accessibility, strengthening neighbourhoods, and bringing people together across cultures and generations. Their work builds stronger communities while contributing to a vibrant local economy.

When we invest in arts and culture, we invest in people. We invest in healthier communities, stronger local businesses, more vibrant downtowns, increased tourism, greater civic pride, and a better quality of life for everyone. These are investments that continue to pay dividends long after the auction has ended.

Online advance bidding is on now and continues until 11:45 pm on Thursday, December 3, 2026.

Live Auction Event

 Friday, December 4, 2026
 Doors open at 6:00 pm
 Penticton Elks Lodge, 343 Ellis Street
️ $30 includes dinner, one drink, a Bingo card, and a bidding paddle
 Featuring legendary auctioneer Paul Crawford

Funds raised will support:

• Unite the Arts Society and the Ignite the Arts Festival
• Local arts organizations and community partners
• The Penticton Elks Lodge No. 51 Elevator Fund and the ongoing work of the Lodge
• Community initiatives, including the Purple Pantry

Whether you donate an auction item, become a sponsor, place a bid, or join us for the live event, you are helping build a stronger future for our region. Together, we are supporting the organizations and people who make our community healthier, more welcoming, more resilient, and more prosperous.

Together, we are investing in the social and economic health of our community because when arts and culture thrive, our businesses thrive, our neighbourhoods thrive, and our people thrive.

Unite the Arts SocietyBringing People Together and Building Healthy and Vibrant Communities Through Music, Art and Culture

Every community is shaped by the connections we create, the stories we share, and the experiences that bring us together.

We believe music, art, and culture are essential to building communities where people feel connected, welcomed, inspired, and valued. They give us opportunities to celebrate who we are, learn from one another, understand different perspectives, and discover the common ground that brings us together.

Unite the Arts Society exists to help create these connections. We are more than an arts organization. We are a catalyst for collaboration, community wellbeing, social connection, and economic vitality. Our role is to bring people, ideas, and resources together to create opportunities that strengthen our communities and enrich the lives of everyone who calls them home.

We believe that the greatest achievements happen when we work together. By connecting artists, organizations, businesses, governments, Indigenous communities, educators, volunteers, and community members, we create a stronger cultural ecosystem where creativity can flourish and everyone has the opportunity to participate, contribute, and belong.

When we lift one another up, we all benefit. When an artist succeeds, when an organization grows, when a community member discovers a new connection, and when a shared experience brings people together, our entire community becomes stronger.

Through Ignite the Arts Festival and other collaborative initiatives, Unite the Arts Society creates spaces where people gather to create, celebrate, learn, and connect. We believe these shared experiences are where relationships are built, ideas are born, and communities grow.

Our vision is a future where every person feels they have a place and a voice. A future where creativity is valued, diversity is celebrated, collaboration is embraced, and communities are more connected, compassionate, inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant.

Because when we invest in music, art, and culture, we are not only supporting creativity. We are investing in people, in relationships, and in the future we want to build together.

Together, we can create communities where everyone belongs, everyone contributes, and everyone has the opportunity to flourish.