Sheila
Posted by Sheila on The Art Studio’s Facebook
June 25, 2013 at 2:24am
I can remember the days when there were some O.T.s who ran some classes in printmaking, drawing, pottery and painting. But they had a big dream of having a program called “The Art Studios” where there would be a variety of different classes, run by the members for the members or the O.T.s assisted by a member. There would be a coordinator and other staff. In time it did happen. A space became available through THEO BC. In the first year, funding became available to hire a part-time coordinator and a part-time staff to run the studio. Members applied for volunteer positions to either run a class or assist. They were paid honorarium through the Consumer Initiative Fund. One lucky member got a position doing event planning and taking art work around to different teams. That was in 1997 and it was the first year The Art Studios had an Open House. In 1998 the coordinator position was made full time and there was another part-time position available. The lucky member who did the event planning and traveling art show applied for the job and got it. Lucky me. From there The Art Studios grew and thrived with new staff coming on board and with the principles of PSR that are so important being put more and more into practice The Art Studios’ members were having more of a say in how they thought the program was run. My last day was June 23, 2004 and I’ve not been back since. But it breaks my heart to think that after all these years of its ups and downs and near closure due to lack of space, it is now facing closure due to lack of funding. Hopefully some creative soul(s) will volunteer their time and get things going to really get some big fund raising events going. I sure hope so. It will truly will be a sad and tragic day if the doors to the building are locked for good.
If any errors or omissions have been made, it is a complete oversight on my part.”