Actor, Director and Community Organizer Allan Thain has been chosen by fellow board members as president of the Langley Arts Council.

"We have an exciting year ahead of us," Thain said after accepting the recent nomination, "For the arts in Langley there are many opportunities. But there are also significant challenges."

He praised the previous board for strengthening the 'already sturdy' foundation of arts and cultural appreciation in Langley with programs like: Art in the Park; the Creative Projects Program; the Children's and Youth Festival; Art in Found Spaces; and the very successful Culture Crawl.

"It's going to be a real challenge to sustain all the great things we're already doing and grow them," Thain said. "But I think the LAC and the community are up for it."

Other members of the LAC Board are: Donna Pyrch (Vice President), Ko-Sheng Ko, Robin Bandenieks, Shar Dubas, Susan Gorris, Rosemary Wallace, John Robertson, Don Shilton and Craig Spence. The Board was installed Sept. 16 at the LAC's Annual General Meeting.The Executive Director of the Langley Arts Council is Alison Brotherton.

In the works are: a Langley performance by the Vancouver Men's Welsh Choir; and a Langley Film Festival.

"Obviously to bring these new projects on stream and keep our existing programs up and running, we're going to have to reach out to the community," Thain said.

"The Langley Arts Council will be seeking an opportunity to address both the Township of Langley and City of Langley in the coming months to briefly detail its accomplishments in the past year and to share the exciting vision for this coming year. There will also be a request to present to Langley's Board of Education and to a number of service clubs and associations."

To find out more about the LAC go to langleyartscouncil.com. "If you're an artist in any discipline, or an arts lover, please click on the membership link and check out the benefits of joining," Thain suggested. "Langley needs the arts and Langley Arts Council needs all the support it can get in the community.