An arts center, even in a small community, serves as a vital hub, fostering social cohesion by providing a space for diverse residents to connect and celebrate local culture. This combats isolation and enhances overall quality of life. Economically, it stimulates local businesses, attracts residents, and supports local artists. Educationally, it offers valuable opportunities for skill development and creative expression through workshops and programs. Ultimately, an arts center strengthens a community’s social fabric, economic health, and cultural identity. Presently in Antigonish the only spaces dedicated to community participation in the arts is Bauer Theatre, and The Arts House. Both are facing challenges due to their structures limiting what they can offer to the community.
Arts represent a way of life – a way of thinking – a way of viewing and interpreting our environment. An arts centre becomes a place of celebration for imagination and the human spirit.
WHAT IS ART?
Art is a form of human expression. It serves as a vehicle for conveying emotions, ideas, and experiences that may be difficult to articulate through words alone. It’s a way of communicating perspectives and interpretations of the world trough the use of creative and imaginative skills. Art can take many forms that often overlap such as: visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography), performing arts (music, dance, theater), literary arts (poetry, prose), and many more.
It can be said that we all started out as artists. Think of children and their pictures under magnets on the fridge. We are rooted in drawing as a form of expression and some never let it go. When you’re an artist, or a writer or a musician you are faced with the greatest challenge of all – how to make something meaningful and compelling – out of nothing. You start with a piece of empty canvas, a sheet of blank paper or a quiet space and you learn to fill it with something that has a beginning and an end and can actually be life changing. With nothing but an empty space an artist can create a piece of history that is revered beyond their short existence in this life. That’s a magnificent feat. You ask yourself – where did that come from? Imagination. Imagination is the greatest problem solver of all. Throughout the ages, our history is defined by art.
WHAT DOES ART DO FOR US?
- It enlivens our town and county. It’s the beauty around us, the murals on the buildings, the music that surrounds us, the concerts and festivals, theatre in the high school, dance recitals, book launches, film screenings and street art. Artists help bring more beauty into our psyche. Artists help us to see beauty, to feel it and to know it.
- It sustains our way of life as an economic driver, attracting tourists, visitors, residents, young people and their families, professionals who want to live here and bring us their services.
- It helps to improve mental health. Art therapy in its many forms helps people deal with mental and physical challenges at all ages.
- It belongs to all of us. Just look around. It’s free!
- It enhances public spaces – what would the Peoples Place library be without its artful surroundings.
- It’s fun. A night out enjoying a show at the Bauer Theatre, looking for treasures at the Antigonish Art Fair or discovering a favourite group at the Jazz Festival.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Information from the surveys, community members and research will be compiled and summarized to create a snapshot of what the community wants. This information will be analyzed and provide some much needed information to guide this project’s path forward.