Members of the Arts and Craft Cabin are worried about the future of arts programs in Innisfail.
As part of the transformation of the library building on 49 Street into the new fire hall, the arts group must leave as well. But it won’t be moving with the library to the new building off Hwy. 54.
“We weren’t wanting this to happen,” said Betty Hobbs, pottery instructor. “I think the town should have a space for us. It’s been upsetting to have happened.”
She said the group will be packing up its supplies — which include four potter’s wheels and a kiln, and packing them into storage.
“We need a facility that is affordable. The move has to involve a permanent situation. The kiln has to be wired in specially. It can’t be a commercial space (where we) could be for three months, and it gets sold and we have to move again,” she said.
Shelley Gagnon, director of community services for Innisfail said the town is currently negotiating with the schools as part of the ongoing joint use agreement, to get the groups housed inside the high school.
“It sounds like we’re moving forward with it potentially in the high school so that’s very exciting. It’s always been the intent from Day 1. Because it makes a good fit; there’s already art rooms set up in the school that have sinks and ventilation set up for art, I mean what a great opportunity.”
She said the agreement has been mostly hammered out with details such as the hours still to be figured out. She expects the school to be ready for the group in January, when the arts group typically starts up again, she said.
The town has offered the art and craft centre for years, working with two groups, art and pottery, for the last few. While the pottery group is looking to move into the school, the art group is looking to go elsewhere, explained Gagnon.
Gagnon said council will be hearing from one of the two groups this month, requesting funds to help with costs associated with renting a new space.
“The hope is that we can negotiate something that is reasonable for the groups if they’re going into the joint use. They currently pay rent as it is. It’s very inexpensive; we don’t charge a whole lot. If they want to move into a new space, they might be looking at more money … I know one group is potentially looking to come back to council to see if there is funding available for them. But we’ve never granted out money for them, in fact we’ve paid for the operation of that arts and craft centre 24/7 for years.”
Deanna Hill, whose children have taken art courses at the cabin, and she, pottery classes, has also heard about the negotiations.
“Once you go into the school system, then we’ve lost the community edge feel of it being for the town of Innisfail.” She also said it’s important to have a place designated for the arts, and it should be something supported by the town.
“If there’s a place, a venue, who knows, maybe someone will say ‘hey you know, I want to teach some stained glass, where do I go?’ It’s there then. If there’s a spot designed for it, it could happen.” She said a venue would allow a place for a local art showcase as well as workshops for out-of-town artists.
Michael Downs, local artist who has taught courses out of the arts and craft cabin, said arts programs are important to the community.
“I think any town should run a diverse range of programming within their community, for the benefit of all its citizens,” he wrote in an email.
“I believe that a town grows through diversity of what it can offer and this includes arts,” he wrote, adding he’s concerned there’s been a waning support of programming by community services prior to the closing of the centre. Hill agrees, pointing to the Pumpkin Festival that’s fallen to businesses to coordinate.
“I think it’s a shame they’re not offering programs,” said Hobbs, who said the town should be taking responsibility to offer affordable spaces for the groups.
“These programs are not costing them anything. We need to offer something besides hockey and baseball. Some are not capable and some don’t want to.”
