The little gallery that could
It’s been a year and a half since the Seymour Art Gallery received news that its funding was about to be slashed drastically.
When the province announced in 2009 it was scrapping the gallery’s $35,000 gaming grant, staff and volunteers were faced with the frightening reality that one third of the gallery’s financial support had just evaporated.
For the small arts haven, nestled in the heart of Deep Cove, the decision was more than just a superficial funding cut.
It was a laceration that went straight to the bone.
Recognizing there wasn’t enough money in the budget to cover salaries, the gallery’s then-curator resigned from her post.
The gallery was also forced to reduce publicity and exhibition opening expenses, while board members and volunteers inherited many of the duties formerly covered by paid employees.
In 2010, the gallery began what Alan Bell, president of the board of directors, calls a “year of self-reflection and consolidation.”
And, with the help of four new members and money from The Arts Office, the board emerged with a strategic plan it hopes will guide the “best little gallery on the North Shore” into the year 2015.
A re-invention
Speaking to District of North Vancouver council recently, Bell said the gallery is now entering a year of “renewal and rejuvenation.”
In mid-2010, the gallery hired a new part-time coordinator, Sarah Cavanaugh, and expanded its programming to include digital arts and a popular new music series. In the coming months, he added, the gallery plans to broaden its horizons even further by adding a potential new film series.
In an interview after the meeting, Cavanaugh and Bell said what’s been most incredible since the funding cuts of 2009 is how the community has rallied to keep the gallery afloat.
Volunteers have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, he says, to ensure the 26-year-old institution remains an arts beacon on the North Shore.
“People have really stepped up to save the gallery,” said Cavanaugh. ”They want to see the gallery survive and thrive.”
In order to ensure its own survival, the gallery is now embarking on a membership drive, appropriated called “Keep Art in the Heart of the Community.”
Staff and board members are also hoping to generate more money this year through internal fundraising efforts, such as an annual art auction and wine tasting, but with still no provincial funding, the gallery is asking municipal governments for a bit of a leg up.
On Feb. 28, Bell and Cavanaugh told district council they are hoping North Vancouver’s arts office will recognize the gallery’s plight and kick in some additional core funding.
“There’s a bit of a perception that this is a gallery in a cozy little community out there in Deep Cove,” Bell said to council. “It is a gallery for the whole of the North Shore, and as you well know, it is the only publicly funded gallery in the district of North Van.”
In addition, the gallery is seeking exhibition funding from the BC Arts Council and the federal Ministry of Canadian Heritage.
With any luck, Deep Cove will soon become synonymous with three things, jokes Bell: “Outdoor recreation, doughnuts, and art.”
For more information on membership, volunteer opportunities, or upcoming exhibitions and concerts visit www.seymourartgallery.com.
ghoekstra@northshoreoutlook.com
twitter.com/greghoekstra
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.