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Community Arts Council will stay where it is - for now

The Prince George & District Community Arts Council has been in the planning stages of developing a new Creative Arts Hub in the heart of downtown Prince George for years and one funding stream dried up recently but here are others available to pursue.
PG Community Arts Council - Studio 2880
Studio 2880 - Prince George & District Community Arts Council (via Kyle Balzer)

The Prince George & District Community Arts Council has been in the planning stages of developing a new Creative Arts Hub in the heart of downtown Prince George since 2018 but the most recent funding opportunity through the Canada Infrastructure Program fell through.

The City of Prince George had committed to contributing $1.5 million toward the project’s extensive renovations to make the Arts Hub happen, pending funding approval but all that has come to a standstill.

“I want to clarify the Creative Hub project was simply turned down from one funding source - there are plenty of other funding sources and ones that are probably more appropriate funding sources for what we’re doing,” Sean Farrell, CAC’s executive director, said.

One example of alternative funding is a Heritage Canada program that is specifically set to build creative hubs, Farrell added.

“I don’t think for a second this project is going to lose its life,” Farrell said. “We just need to pivot and look at other funding sources and there are funding sources out there for this project.”

The topic is a council agenda item set for Monday’s meeting where Farrell hopes council will direct staff’s efforts to continue seeking alternative funding to get this project moving forward in some form - whether it be to move the Community Arts Council downtown to the location of the current indoor Farmers’ Market at the corner of Third Avenue and Quebec Street in the old BMO building or to revamp its existing location at 2880 15th Avenue where the arts council has been happily ensconced for more than four decades.

“Things on the ground have changed over the last few years around downtown revitalization,” Farrell said. “It’s sort of shifted, especially in the last six months to a year. There’s also an opportunity - I think - for us to take a hard look at what are the expectations and goals for moving Studio 2880 downtown and have those shifted at all. Studio 2880 on 15th Avenue has served the community beautifully for the last 45 years and the motivation to move Studio 2880 downtown was based on a vision for downtown revitalization so the question now is has that vision changed? Does it need to change? And what’s the role of a community arts organization in the conversation - and barring anything else there’s no reason at the end of the day we can’t stay on 15th Avenue and seek funding to rehabilitate those buildings and potentially create more space for the arts on 15th Avenue. I think this has given us a moment of pause and repose so we can revisit some of the initial motivations and strategies of moving downtown.”

For now the Community Arts Council will stay where it is and continue its vision of ‘developing our community into a recognized centre of creativity,’ Farrell added.

That statement becomes more meaningful than ever, Farrell added, as the community needs a vibrant arts and culture sector to help bring about much-needed social healing and economic development.

As pandemic restrictions ease local arts organizations will be kicking off a new season of programming and events that are open to everyone in the community, he added.

“That includes concerts, plays, festivals, gallery and museum exhibits, classes, outdoor markets, workshops, child and youth programming, social enterprise initiatives, poetry and literature publications, library and literacy initiatives, in-school learning, healing arts activities, reconciliation collaborations, cultural tourism attractions, seniors programs, arts, justice, diversity and inclusivity initiatives, community broadcasting.and podcasting... and so, so much more,” Farrell said.

“We thank all our funders, members, board and staff, Studio 2880 tenants, partners, customers, and the City of Prince George for their unwavering support of our organization, and our very brilliant and celebrated Prince George arts community.”