A year ago, The Art of Transition symposium whetted everyone’s appetite for promoting the arts in Durham Region. After the conference, there was a real feeling of, “Well, what now?” and an eagerness to make something happen.

On Nov. 23, I sat in a large open space in the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa at a Creative Spacemaking Workshop. There was a hum in the room; it was full of people, some of whom I recognized from the Art of Transition event last year, some of whom I didn’t know—yet. But we were all there because we share a common enthusiasm: finding hosting space for the arts in Durham Region.

Tim Jones, president and CEO of Artspace, opened the day with an electrifying presentation on pre-project development—and challenged some myths about art spaces. Artspace is currently responsible for 10 arts-based development projects in Toronto—notably the Distillery District and the Wychwood Barns. The energy in the room buzzed as local attendees talked at the break about the buildings in our own Durham neighbourhoods that might become similar vibrant hubs for the arts.

During the day, we also heard other presentations on how to make arts-based development projects a reality. Celia Smith, Executive VP of Artscape, covered the necessary practicalities of finance models, and Jeff Becker, who has come from Kansas City for the day, talked about his work with artists to make the Arts Incubator project happen.

The buzz in the room became a roar, however, when Roscoe Handford, a woman who was instrumental in creating the Wychwood Barn Project, tells stories about what it took to get her community to believe in the project. She talks about the kinds of opposition the project initially faced, and sitting in city council meetings ‘till 3 a.m. She also painted inspiring verbal pictures, telling about neighbours making clandestine skating rinks on the property, about spontaneous gatherings in the community, and about building an outdoor oven so as to host weekly pizza parties. And she talked about how the project created not just an art space, but a vibrant and engaged community.

At the final event of the day, we sat in “think tanks,” made up of 12 individuals; sharing the visions that drew us to participate today. At my table, one participant talked about an abandoned department store in downtown Oshawa; another described a century-old agricultural fair building in Port Perry. Someone from Ottawa shared news of funding possibilities. Plus, our presenters for the day dropped by each table to listen, ask questions, and give us the benefit of their experience.

It’s not a community pizza party—yet. But we left the day with a much clearer idea of what it will take to transform our neglected local spaces into vibrant, arts-based hubs of activity and our own new community
that can help make that happen.

Sue Reynolds - The Writers' Circle of Durham Region

Posts by Sue Reynolds

• 04 Mar 2011 Making Creative Spaces, in 201103 Volume 5&Oshawa&Transitions Zine
• 17 Jun 2010 Esther Forde: Cultural Expressions, in 201006 Volume 2&Ajax&Transitions Zine
• 19 Feb 2010 Attention Graphic Designers & Illustrators, in Uncategorized

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