The 125+ year-old Caetani Centre is a 6,000 sq. ft. designated heritage house, situated on 1.3 acres of land on lower East Hill in Vernon, BC. The facility is operated by the Caetani Cultural Centre Society as a registered not-for-profit organization and registered charitable organization. The house and grounds are owned by the City of Vernon, and operated by the Caetani Cultural Centre Society.

Now open to the public, the Caetani Centre is available for both guided and self-guided heritage tours. Visitors can learn about the fascinating Caetani history and story and see treasured family artifacts as well as Sveva Caetani’s heralded Recapitulation painting series, recently returned permanently to the Caetani Centre after 35 years from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. 

The Caetani Centre is also host to special festivals and events such as the lively Summer Music Festival and the not-to-be-missed “fun”raiser A Splash of Red, usually held the third Thursday in August, as well as numerous presentations, concerts and exhibitions.

The house is the former home of renowned artist, writer, mentor and teacher Sveva Caetani. Sveva was locally known as ‘the Countess’ due to her aristocratic background and she was a visionary figure in the community with a deep belief in culture, knowledge and artistic endeavours.

The mysterious and heartbreaking story behind the history of the house and its inhabitants provides a gateway to understanding our recent past, opening a window to a much different world and shedding light on the many artworks and writings created by our benefactor Sveva Caetani. Following the death of her father in 1935 she was kept a virtual prisoner in her own home for 25 years by her invalid mother. Her story is one of overcoming adversity and rising above her circumstances. Sveva left her 1.3 acres of gardens and historic home to the community of Greater Vernon in 1994 with the express wish that it serve as a community cultural facility for artistic and critical exploration.

Sveva’s vision for her home has become reality and is now being carried out through creative and thought-provoking programming. The Caetani Centre also provides a venue for visual artists from around Canada and the world to explore a diverse range of arts practices, theories and experiences through our Self-Directed Residency Program for visual artists, writers, curators, and creative individuals.

The Caetani Centre provides quality arts facilities that allow artists and writers to experiment, develop new ideas and interact with fellow artists and the community.

The Caetani Centre is located two blocks from beautiful downtown Vernon, British Columbia, and is within walking distance or public transportation to shopping, as well as most public facilities and amenities. The Centre provides scheduled festivals and events throughout the year for visitors to access the gardens, engage with member artists and enjoy the facilities.

The Caetani Centre is a 30-minute drive north from Kelowna International Airport and is approximately 5 hours from Vancouver by car, and 6 hours from Calgary. Vernon has a small airport with limited access. Bike trails and bus service are also available to larger centres.

The Greater Vernon community is located between three lakes, Kalamalka Lake, Okanagan Lake and Swan Lake, and 25 minutes from world class cross country and downhill skiing, mountain biking, and award winning wineries.

The Caetani Centre is located two blocks from beautiful downtown Vernon, British Columbia, and is within walking distance or public transportation to shopping, as well as most public facilities and amenities. The Centre provides scheduled events throughout the year for the public to access the gardens, engage with member artists and enjoy the facilities.

The House – built in 1895 by Samuel Somerville, the house is a designated heritage site, and described as Late Victorian Vernacular Revival style. (Designated 86.03.10 (Bylaw #3370, HRA Bylaw#4813 – HRA-2003-018).

The former home of Sveva Ersilia Caetani – artist, writer, teacher and mentor – the home was divided into four self-contained apartments by Sveva in the 1960s, some of which have remained as residency suites targeted to artists involved in or contributing to the local arts community. The house and grounds were bequeathed to the City of Vernon in 1994 by Sveva Caetani for use as a community cultural centre. In 2008, a separate society was formed to manage this community cultural centre.

The Caetani Centre office is accessed from the side door adjacent to the parking lot. 

Studios – There are currently five artist studios onsite that are in use on a year-round basis by local artists and artists participating in the Caetani Self-Directed Artist-in-Residency Program.

Gardens – with the assistance of the City of Vernon and the Regional District of the North Okanagan and many hardworking volunteers, the 1.5 acres of gardens at the Caetani Centre are beautifully maintained and provide a peaceful and inspiring setting for artists to create and share their work with the community.

The Caetani Centre is a 30-minute drive from Kelowna International Airport and is approximately 5 hours from Vancouver by car, and 6 hours from Calgary. Vernon has a small airport with limited access. Bike trails and bus service are also available to larger centres.

The Greater Vernon community is located between three lakes, Kalamalka Lake, Okanagan Lake and Swan Lake, and 25 minutes from world class cross country and downhill skiing, mountain biking, and award winning wineries.