Municipal arts
Abbotsford: Hall’s walls perfect for local art, City, schools, Reach bring culture to streets
It’s only fitting that Abbotsford Parks, Recreation and Culture is showing local artists at its new digs at City Hall. When the department moved this year to the third floor, department head Mark Taylor approached Suzanne Greening, the executive director of The Reach gallery, about installing art in the common areas. Greening checked out the [...]
North Van seeks cultural revolution, Consultant recommends new homes for Presentation House’s three tenants
Three of the North Shore’s foremost cultural institutions should be moved into new, multi-million-dollar buildings over the next two decades, according to a year-long study commissioned by the City of North Vancouver. The purpose of the study was to determine the best way to house the Presentation House Gallery, Presentation House Theatre and the North [...]
Burnaby/New Westminster: What is the value of the arts?
The power of the arts—its ability to inspire, spark change or, more simply, put a smile on someone’s face—is rarely questioned. But often, as positive as those characteristics may be, they are nebulous and the benefits to society can be difficult to quantify. That’s particularly the case in regards to the economic benefits—and this is [...]
Public art policy to keep PoCo pretty
Port Coquitlam is setting an artistic path for the city’s future by shaping its first public art policy. “The city and community had already been doing public art on an ad hoc basis for the last 10 years,” said Yvonne Chui, PoCo’s arts and culture co-ordinator. “So we felt it really was time to articulate [...]
Prince George: New Banners to be Unveiled this Morning
This summer, new street banners will beautify the Hart community and Central Street, as the City of Prince George and Hart Community Association have partnered in an art beatification program. th Avenue and Highway 16. These eight were designed by students Candice Daoust, Ashley Knight, Hailey Koshel, Angie Lundblom and Ashlee Menning. “We are grateful [...]
Burnaby: City approves new funding for festivals
Everybody loves a good party, and the City of Burnaby is no exception. Council approved the executive committee’s Festivals Burnaby pilot project, which would see $670,000 per year from the gaming reserves fund put towards festivals and special events for the next three years. “Festivals, parades, tournaments, games and special events all add to the [...]
New Westminster: Civic art space open house July 6
The City of New Westminster is hosting another community workshop concerning the art spaces for the planned multi-use civic facility. Input and suggestions for the purpose built arts spaces are welcome. The workshop is July 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, located at 511 Royal Ave. For more [...]
Vancouver: Art leaps from the boardroom to the streets
Savvy real estate developers are embracing mandatory municipal art programs as opportunities to add value and character to their properties. These programs vary, but all focus on having developers give back to the communities in which they do business. Although about 30 Canadian cities have public art programs in place, most are for public lands [...]
White Rock: City approves grant money
White Rock council has approved its list of grants to local organizations that applied for aid for 2010, totalling $25,880. Highest individual grant is $4,000, which goes to the Community of Lights Events Society, which will organize the 2010 Spirit of the Sea Festival. Next highest is two grants of $2,000, to the Semiahmoo Family [...]
Festivals Kelowna propose loan sked
Festivals Kelowna is hoping to repay its debt with the City of Kelowna over the next three years. The organization received $73,000 from the city in November to retire the deficit incurred by the 2009 Music and Arts Festival. Festivals Kelowna was asked to repay $43,000 of that with the remaining $30,000 being covered through [...]
Needle collection, hip-hop CD among projects getting Victoria grants: City of Victoria hands out $87,000 in 19 ‘special project’ contributions
Everything from needle-collection programs to youth recording a hip-hop CD received funding from the city of Victoria this year through special-project grants. As usual, the city received far more applications for funds than it had money to grant. Twenty-nine applications were received totalling more than $240,000. The city’s corporate services committee ended up giving at [...]
Kelowna: City funds art projects with some hesitation
A bit of a struggle Monday afternoon for members of Kelowna City Council while considering the funding for two public art projects. The Living Positive Resource Centre was asking for four thousand dollars for paintings aimed at showing the impacts of living with H-I-V. The artwork would appear in the Kelowna Art Gallery, but would ultimately [...]
White Rock: $15,000 arts study rejected
White Rock council has rejected a recommendation to allocate $15,000 for a feasibility study for a dedicated arts centre in the city. The suggested study – part of a report from leisure services director Rita Clarkson – is “premature,” according to Couns. Lynne Sinclair and Helen Fathers. But both say they believe a dedicated arts [...]
