The Sculpting a Future for the Southampton Arts Centre plan requires Town cash
Town asked for $100,000 and rent relief to restore cultural ‘treasure’
Restoring the financial health of the Southampton Arts Centre (SAC) requires a $100,000 operating subsidy/donation and rent relief from the Town for use of the Gallery in the former Southampton Town Hall and the Art School in the former Mechanics Institute library next door.
Following a presentation titled “Sculpting a Future for the Southampton Arts Centre” by SAC board member Fred Kuntz to the April 8 general committee meeting, Town councillors sent the financial request to staff for consideration in upcoming budget preparations, and five members voiced their support for the SAC and its board’s requests.
Kuntz said they offer 120 courses annually – everything from sculpting to painting to stained glass and comedy/ improv for kids – and the gallery is a showcase for local and regional artists.
“This collection of activities is a real benefit to this whole region,” Kuntz said. “Parents tell us often that they value the arts classes for their children on March Break and in the summer, and it’s a free attraction to tourists...” he said.
While issues like affordable housing, good healthcare and tax rates are factors in attracting quality employees, Kuntz said from his experience in the local energy sector, quality of life is also important, including a “vibrant arts community.”
Kuntz said the SAC owes its existence to Bert Henderson, who founded the Southampton School of Fine Arts in 1957. He died peacefully in Owen Sound earlier this year at age 96, and SAC literature says his legacy allowed thousands to enjoy arts courses in the school over 67 years. The original advisory board included three of the famed Group of Seven.
Although some art galleries in Canada, including at least four in Ontario, have closed in recent years, Kuntz said the SAC “barely survived” the pandemic, with temporary staff layoffs, reduced gallery hours and a $40,000 federal loan, which they paid off in January, but now “the cupboard is bare.
“So, we can’t take it for granted that something this special in our community is guaranteed to survive...” Kuntz said, pointing to the SAC budget with revenues of $300,000 – mainly from courses and art sales – and expenses of $300,000, mainly staff wages.
Kuntz said they haven’t been sitting on their hands and efforts to “restore this important thing to health again,” include a full slate of 120 courses; a refreshed gallery presentation; a revised website; and they’ve applied for a grant to bring back the ARTbike – a summer student on a bicycle packed with art supplies who travels through the community looking to spark creativity. The website update put the gallery art inventory online and enables online sales of courses and $50 tax-deductible memberships, Kuntz said.
Restoring financial health included restructuring with the Board active in program and gallery management and more organized reliance on volunteers. The paid staff positions – either part-time, or full-time in peak season with reduced hours in the off-season – include a gallery administrator, gallery coordinator, art school coordinator, fund development coordinator. Kuntz said they are under review, pending restoration of financial stability and hiring processes underway. The student and co-op positions depend on grants, which Kuntz said they are actively seeking, along with sponsorships and memberships.
“We are proposing an operational subsidy – I believe the Town has done this for other worthy
nd groups – we receive no direct funding from the Town today, but we have in the past,” Kuntz said, adding the request would support their operational costs, including attracting and keeping good sta¡.
He said SAC currently pays the Town $8,000 annually in rent for the gallery in the former Southampton Town Hall, and the Art School, in the former Mechanics Institute library next door, and would like to be considered for rent relief as a “community benefit.”
Before opening the floor for councillors’ questions/comments, Mayor Luke Charbonneau said the SAC request for continued collaboration with Town staff was a “slam dunk” and that the financial requests would be sent to staff for a report.
Vice deputy mayor Mike Myatt had to push Kuntz to say exactly how much money SAC wanted. Kuntz said he was “worried” about stating a figure publicly because the Town faces many pressures, including affordable housing.
“But if I can be so bold, to attract the kind of staff we need – to pay a centre manager and deal with the wages... it wouldn’t hurt us to have $100,000 and I don’t know
where that fits in the scheme of things,” Kuntz said.
Myatt said the Town doesn’t contribute a lot to arts and culture, and listed subsidies it does make annually including $450,000 for arena/ ice time; $100,000 to $200,000 for ball parks; and $400,000 for aquatics.
Myatt said during upcoming 2025 Business Plan/budget preparations he “certainly am going to really be paying attention” to the SAC requests because it is a community benefit and a wonderful facility. "We don’t want to lose it. It’s a very important part of the fabric, the culture of our community...” Myatt said.
Coun. Chelly Grace said the economic benefits of the SAC need to be recognized, noting the number of people who sign up for summer art classes.
“It is part of the attraction of tourism – it’s a resource that we advertise in our tourism literature...” Grace said, adding she hopes they get the ARTbike grant as it is a “fabulous” idea.
“If staff is listening for council support at this point for your consideration in preparation of the 2025 budget, I’m very supportive
of trying to keep this resource – treasure, really – in our community,” Grace said.
Deputy mayor Diane Huber said she and other parents/ / caregivers appreciate that the SAC board listened to public comments and made changes to programming hours.Noting that Saugeen Shores is undertaking a Cultural Master Plan to identify cultural resources and make recommendations to preserve them, Huber said she hoped the SAC Board would engage in the process and find ways to contribute what’s already out there.
“I’m a little concerned that we might be focusing on heritage buildings... but to me, the Cultural Master Plan needs to include a lot more than just buildings...” Huber said, because the SAC is a “valuable part of the community.”
Mayor Charbonneau said he is no artist: “I can’t do art to get myself out of a paper bag,” he confessed, but said being great at art is not required to support the arts – the public can be patrons by buying tax-deductible SAC memberships - $50 for a Friends of the Arts and $100 for Arts Associate memberships.