School of Visual Arts receives continued support from Yukon Government

WHITEHORSE�The School of Visual Arts (SOVA) in Dawson City has been awarded $1.42 million to continue its fine arts curriculum for the next three years Education Minister Scott Kent announced today.

The Government of Yukon is pleased to continue supporting Yukon College and the School Of Visual Arts with funding that will cover the costs of program delivery, personnel and administration,� Kent said. 

�SOVA has a strong presence that contributes to Dawson City�s arts and culture community, attracting students from near and far to study in the Klondike region.�

SOVA is an art college accredited through Yukon College and located in Dawson City. Students who successfully complete its Foundation Year Program receive a visual arts certificate from Yukon College and may block transfer this certificate into a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at any of the five Canadian art colleges and institutions partnered with Yukon College.

Fifteen students successfully completed the two-semester program in April 2012, five of which were Yukoners. This year SOVA will host 15 full-time and seven part-time students from within the territory and across Canada.

“I am pleased that we have the continued generous support of the Yukon government for SOVA,� Yukon College Dean of Applied Arts Deb Bartlette said. 

�The program has been very successful in attracting students locally and nationally and making a name for Dawson City and Yukon in arts education. After five successful years of the foundation program, we have many students completing degrees across Canada and working or studying in the arts or related fields in the Yukon and beyond. Yukon College looks forward to the continuing evolution of SOVA in the coming years.�

The Foundation Year Program is offered in partnership with the Dawson City Arts Society, Yukon College and the Tr’ond�k Hw�ch’in through a cooperation agreement signed in 2005. SOVA is governed by a governance council comprising these partners.

For more information about the SOVA, visit www.yukonsova.ca.

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Contact:

Michael Vernon

Communications Coordinator

Yukon College

867-668-8786

mvernon@yukoncollege.yk.ca

Elaine Schiman

Cabinet Communications

Government of Yukon

867-633-7961

elaine.schiman@gov.yk.ca

Chris Madden

Communications, Education

Government of Yukon

867-456-6789

chris.madden@gov.yk.ca