Media Release - AmblesideNow Needs Community Participation on the Arts in Ambleside
Thursday, July 28, 2011
West Vancouver, BC: At the July 18, Council meeting, Council supported further community engagement on the Draft Arts Facilities Strategy which is being completed as part of AmblesideNow. The Draft Arts Facilities Strategy is based on a number of key community-based studies and identifies options for developing a future Arts Centre on the waterfront. Work on the Draft Arts Facilities Strategy is being guided by the principle that capital and operating funds must be raised by private and community fundraising, and the facility would become a community asset.
Merla Beckerman, the advisory Chair and former Chair of the Vancouver Art Gallery Board and Vice-Chair of the National Gallery of Canada, says: “This is a special time in West Vancouver’s history. So many years of study and volunteer work are coming together in a comprehensive strategy and now we need the community to provide feedback.”
The Draft Arts Facilities Strategy identifies a preferred option of an Arts Centre at the foot of 14th Street. With the consolidation of arts services on the waterfront, it is anticipated that the community living room concept will come to life with a combination of education, gallery, retail and open public spaces. For the full presentation to Council, please visit westvancouver.ca
How to engage?
As part of the Harmony Arts Festival, the Artist’s Circle Exhibition will be a hub for the Arts Advisory Group. Members will be available to answer questions, provide information on the Draft Arts Facilities Strategy and collect feedback and comments. Please visit the Artist’s Circle Exhibition daily for more information on the future of the Arts in West Vancouver.
DATE: Friday, July 29 to August 7: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
LOCATION: Festival Tent east of 1564 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver
The Artist’s Circle Exhibition brings high level professional art to the West Vancouver waterfront to engage visitors in thinking about how the visual arts can define community.
Exhibiting Artists: Gordon Smith, Sonny Assu, Joan Balzar, B.C. Binning, Pierre Coupey, Attila Richard Lukacs, Jack Shadbolt, Sylvia Tait, Ian Wallace, Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun.
In the fall, the advisory group will report back to Council with the findings from their summer engagement. The report will present a framework for a business plan, initial massing for the Arts Centre, and draft design concepts.
About the District of West Vancouver
The District of West Vancouver is the local government led by Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones and Council. Home to more than 44,000 residents, West Vancouver is a local government which strives to "inspire excellence and lead by example". Our Vision and Mission guide us to pursue our treasured quality of life and will be the measure of our success as a community. West Vancouver is a community built on innovation, a strong spirit of personal civic commitment and a deep value for relationships.
Media Contact:
Jessica Delaney, Director of Communications
Cell: 604-360-8131
Direct: 604-925-4736