Arts space in a highrise development proposed for South Surrey may well be operated by one or more non-profit groups.
Sheila McKinnon, arts manager for the City of Surrey, said such a governance model is already working at other sites, and most who attended a meeting earlier this month regarding what might work should the new development proceed supported taking a similar direction.
"Out of the 50-plus people that were there, there were only a few people that thought the city should operate the space," McKinnon said of the Jan. 8 meeting.
"By far, the majority felt that the spaces should be operated by not-for-profit."
This afternoon (Tuesday), the consultant hired to research governance options for a proposed theatre and contemporary arts café/gallery at 19 Avenue and 152 Street will present her recommendation to the city's culture development advisory committee.
The session with Lori Baxter gets underway at 3 p.m. at Surrey City Hall (13450 104 Ave.), and is open to the public.
It is not expected to include an update on the proposed development as a whole, which – when last presented to the public – also includes more than 300 residential units in two highrises.
Jaret Lang, development manager with Surrey City Development Corporation – which is partnering with the Reifel Cooke Group on the proposal – told Peace Arch News last week that "internal analysis" regarding the project is ongoing, and he hopes to have an update he can share "within the next couple of months."
McKinnon said the question of who would operate new cultural spaces in the city was a common one at information sessions held following adoption of the city's cultural plan in 2012.
At the Jan. 8 meeting, Baxter named fit with the plan's vision, the ability to maximize use of volunteer labour and accessibility to federal and provincial grants as among advantages of non-profit governance.
She cited establishing accountability to the city, finding experienced staff and the time it takes for federal and provincial funding to materialize as among its challenges.
Advantages of a city-run facility include administrative support, the ability to attract experienced staff and the potential for business sponsorships, Baxter said; challenges to the model include a reduced sense of ownership by the community, and a limited ability to use volunteers and leverage other government investment for programming.
While no decisions on the proposed development have been made – McKinnon said the facilities are "years away" – it is "an opportunity to start exploring."
Semiahmoo Arts' board president Rick Muir said a combination of city and non-profit governance is another possibility.
"You'd have some synergies by combining the two," he said.
McKinnon said the city's financial focus on arts and culture has grown exponentially in the last two years. In 2013, the city doled out $75,000 in grants to nearly three dozen groups. The funding pool grew to $100,000 last year, and is at $200,000 for 2015.