Our Mission

The Caetani Centre Cultural Centre Society is a not-for-profit multi-disciplinary arts, cultural, and heritage organization dedicated to operating the Caetani Centre in Vernon, British Columbia on the traditional, unceded territory of the syilx/suknaqinx people.

Our mission is to enhance the creative life and expand artistic opportunities within our community.

In accordance with the wishes of our benefactor, the late artist Sveva Caetani, we aim to create a space that supports artists, enriches communities, and inspires visitors through the transformative power of art and storytelling.

About the Caetani Centre

The Caetani Centre is a registered 130-year-old heritage site located on an acre and a half of park-like land, just minutes from downtown Vernon, BC.

The property was purchased in 1921 by Leone Caetani, Duke of Sermoneta and Prince of Teano, Italy. In 1994, Leone’s daughter, artist and mentor Sveva Caetani, bequeathed the property to the City of Vernon, where it has since become a renowned local heritage and cultural landmark.

Today, the Caetani Centre is a vibrant hub for arts and culture, offering a wide range of programming in visual arts, literature, music, performance, multimedia, and interdisciplinary art forms. We host artists from around the world for residencies, events, and educational programming, and also welcome visitors for self-guided, guided and educational tours of our heritage home and museum, which tells the story of the Caetani family.

Our Okanagan art gallery showcases changing exhibitions, including Sveva Caetani’s powerful Recapitulation series, as well as private exhibitions throughout the year.

The Centre offers accessible, affordable, and inclusive arts, cultural, and social engagement programs for people of all ages, including workshops, classes, and events. We also host well-known annual events such as the Caetani Splash fundraiser, the Summer Music Festival, Halloween theatrical performances, and celebrations during Culture Days and the Vernon Winter Carnival.

In the spirit of community, the Caetani Centre provides exhibition, presentation, artist-in-residence, and event space to organizations such as the Archway Society for Domestic Peace, Vernon and District Immigrant Community Services Society, Vernon Pride Society, Gallery Vertigo, the Vernon Community Arts Centre, Studio sisp̓l̓k, among others.

Our Artist Residency Programs offer local, regional, and international creatives the opportunity to live, work, and create in our community. The Centre provides studio and living spaces for up to three artists at a time, with private rooms and studios, as well as shared facilities including a kitchen, bathroom, library, and common areas.

The residency fosters the exchange of ideas and skills, with artists encouraged to engage with the local community through performances, presentations, exhibitions, and interactive programming.