Regional Centre of Excellence in the Arts Briefing Note

Regional Centre of Excellence in the Arts

The Opportunity

We have a unique opportunity to:

• Fill a recognized regional infrastructure gap – a Centre for performances and events.
• Contribute directly to the health and quality of life of our citizens.
• Create a legacy for our children and generations to come.
• Build a cultural brand for our area by adding to the many treasures we have here.
• Develop the economy with a driver unmatched in the region.
• Create local jobs: $16 million in construction; $3.2 million on ongoing economic boost.

A Performing Arts Centre would establish our area as the cultural hub of the south Island. It would be an economic magnet for support services, shops, and restaurants. The surrounding area would be alive in the days with rehearsals, convocations, classes, conferences, events, and exhibitions. Performances would add life to the evenings. This is an excellent opportunity!

The Building

What sort of spaces would performing groups need in a Performing Arts Centre? Colwood funded a study in 2013 that obtained requirements from many groups including:

• Royal Roads University
• Victoria Conservatory of Music
• Camosun College
• Canadian College of Performing Arts
• West Shore Arts Council
• Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra
• Kaleidoscope Theatre

Many requirements were expressed in terms of physical size. For example, the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra would like a stage of 60 feet wide and 40 feet deep.

We asked a theatre consultant how to fit all those spaces together in a building along with necessary extra spaces such as a lobby and a box office. Here are some sketches of the result:

The Location

The Performing Arts Centre needs a site of about 2 acres in size. Because the building would occupy less than an acre, the site would accommodate parking. There are several appropriate locations that offer easy access from West Shore communities, from up-Island, and from Victoria. The Centre would make a dramatic statement about our area no matter where it is located.

We have evaluated several sites against 19 criteria in four major groups: Critical Factors; Technical Factors; Community Benefits; and Funding & Partnership. This evaluation process could be applied to any other sites.

2016 Work Plan

The Society is currently seeking funding for its 2016 work plan. The primary tasks are:

• Revisit the requirements of the performing groups.
• Create a credible business plan for the facility.
• Create a set of conceptual drawings, artists impressions, plans, and models to illustrate the sort of Performing Arts Centre that is being planned.
• Create publicity materials to generate public support for the Centre.

Major Funding

A large project such as the Performing Arts Centre would require funding from all levels of government. Additional funding could come from major donors in the private sector. Finally, funds could come from the public through schemes such as "selling" seats and individual rooms.

Timing

Cultural groups in the south Island have been longing for such a facility for at least a decade. It is time to commit to building the Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre!

Let us make the Juan de Fuca area the new cultural hub of Vancouver Island!