The Squamish Arts Council’s Michelle Neilson says she’s losing sleep thanks to the excitement and anticipation of what is to come.
“I sometimes lie awake at night wondering, is this really going to happen?” she said.
The council members’ longtime dream of acquiring a multi-purpose arts space in Squamish is closer to becoming a reality.
The group is in the final stages of a deal to take over a 7,000-square-foot space, according to Neilson. She wouldn’t say exactly where the space is, as all the details have not yet been finalized. There is a strata involved that has to vote on the proposal on Feb. 2 and then there will be lease negotiations with the developer, Neilson said.
“It is just a matter of making sure the T’s are crossed and the I’s are dotted,” she said.
District of Squamish council passed a motion Jan. 19 to grant the arts council $25,000 from the 2016 budget toward a dedicated staff person who could help get the new arts and education centre up and running.
“Just like Tourism Squamish has a paid position and the chamber has a paid position and the youth centre has a paid position to run things, the arts council needs one,” she said. “We’re moving into an arts centre space and launching in it. In the first year, we are going to need someone as a paid executive director to help us launch the art centre.”
The approval by Squamish council was conditional on the arts council securing the space and providing the district with a business plan.
The district funding also has yet to be finalized; council has not yet approved the 2016 budget.
A dedicated arts space is long overdue, according to the Squamish Arts Development Plan drafted by the arts council in December.
“Despite consumer demand, the arts council struggles – due primarily to lack of space – to help increase arts programming,” reads the plan that Neilson helped write.
Neilson said the arts are essential to a community but often underappreciated.
“Sadly, arts always takes a back seat to sports, and what we don’t realize is that there’s an inner artist in most of us that was likely squashed when we were younger because the resources and programs weren’t there to incubate the creative process,” she said. “What the sports community forgets is that it was an artist who designed their team logo and jersey. It was a designer who came up with the new design and look of their equipment. And it’s a singer who sings ‘O Canada’ at the beginning of a game.”
Mayor Patricia Heintzman, known for her strong support of arts projects in Squamish, said she had no problem approving the funds.
“We provide a ton of monies to BMX, a whole bunch of different ones to do capital projects. We do very little on the arts side,” she said. “So I am happy to support this request.”
Neilson said next steps in terms of the new centre include an official announcement to the district on Feb. 3 followed by conversations with the building’s developer and strata on terms of lease.
The location of the space will be revealed on March 16 at the Squamish Art Council’s annual general meeting, Neilson said.
Also, sometime in March, the arts council plans to organize a focus group on the design of the space.
