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By Veronica Beltran

Art Hub

City Council approves grant application for Downtown Arts Hub

Oct 7, 2020 | 4:00 AM

PRINCE GEORGE—Looking to continue to revitalize the City’s downtown, Prince George City Council has voted on the submission of a grant application that would see a new Downtown Arts Hub.

The grant which would see $4.12 million from both Provincial and Federal governments, if approved, would allow the Community Arts Council to move Studio 2880 from its current location to 1310 3rd Ave.—the current location of the indoors Farmer’s Market.

“This organization and the arts organization as a whole has been pushing for something like this and I think the arts hub—in my experience goes back to councillor Bassermann when he talked about an arts corridor downtown…I fully support this.”—Brian Skakun, Councillor, City of Prince George

The project’s total estimated cost is $5.62 million, with $4.12 million from Provincial and Federal governments and $1.5 million from the Northern Capital Planning Reserve Fund—a grant program from the Province allowing Northern communities to focus on capital projects.

“I am thrilled about this project. It’s been in the works for a long time…I think it’ll just add to the vibrancy of our downtown,” said City Councillor Terry McConnachie. At the moment the Community Art Council leases two buildings located at 2820 & 2880 15th Ave. Both buildings were built in the 1940s; a 2019 Civic Facilities Renewal Strategy identified that the total cost of renewal for those buildings over the next ten years would be $470,000.

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The report submitted to Council for the grant approval adds that this new Art Hub would have favourable outcomes for the community and the regional arts and culture, with things such as:

• Improved access and quality to the creative arts in a centralized downtown location that serves a diverse range of user groups;
• Flexible, common, and shared space for regional artists to connect, collaborate, increase their professional development;
• A community attraction with visitor access to demonstrations, programming, art therapy, and events,
• Promotion of arts with a central community information hub;
• Support for indigenous artists and younger artists in the community;
• Improved energy efficiency and universal accessibility of the building; and,
• Revitalization of the downtown core with increased street presence, beautification, and both
  indoor and outdoor activity.