Caetani Centre

About Us

Now open for guided and self-guided tours.

The former home of renowned artist, writer, mentor and teacher Sveva Caetani. The Centre houses several extensive collections of artwork, artifacts, digital photos and films, and vintage Chanel and Vionnet haute couture fashion items from the 1920s, related to the Caetani family. 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 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 an inspirational one of overcoming adversity and rising above her circumstances.

Sveva’s vision for her home has become reality and is now being carried out through creative and thought-provoking programming. The Caetani Centre (C3) 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 international Residency programs for visual artists, writers, curators, and creative individuals.

The society hosts special events such as the lively Summer Music Festival, Literary Festivals, heritage tours, and the not-to-be-missed “fun”raiser A Splash of Red, usually held the third Thursday in August.

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. The facility is operated by The Caetani Cultural Centre Society as a registered social profit charitable organization. The house and grounds are owned by the City of Vernon, and operated by the Caetani Cultural Centre Society.