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WHY AN ARTS BLOCK?
The simple answer is ...
BECAUSE IT WORKS !
(AND WE NEED IT)
The old historical downtown core of Caledonia is slowly decaying into ruins. There are empty storefronts owned by uninvolved and absentee landlords that are in such a poor state of repair that they are unatractive and unrealistically priced to attract potential renters. There are derelict buildings that require massive amounts of restoration. The main street desperately needs to be made more attractive and pedestrian friendly.
Something has to be done to revitalize the downtown core that will capitalize on the uniqueness of this area to attract more visitors and the commerce they could bring this sad, controversial, but potentially beautiful and vibrant little town.
We are inspired by the examples of other communities who were in a similar situation. Hamilton's new James Street North Art District is turning the old north end around from a high crime, drug dealing and prostitution center into a thriving commercial district newly populated with 29 unique art galleries, community art resource centers, several bistros and specialty restaurants, bars and entertainment lounges.
Brantford is also in the early stages of revitalization with the establishment of an Brantford Arts Block there.
We could and should do it here in Haldimand and Caledonia too!
Our core goal is the creation of a downtown community arts centre or centers which will provide exhibition, performance, studio and work space for artists of all description and skill levels. The centre will also act as an organizing and producing facility, partnering with other organizations to showcase artists in unique settings around Caledonia and Haldimand County. Another important part of our mandate is education regarding the importance of the arts, especially inspiring and assisting young, emerging and innovative artists in any field.
The gallery and future community arts centre is hoped to become a permanent and sustainable institution in the Haldimand area for unifying and encouraging the arts and cultural community, while stimulating creative expression in all who practice, appreciate or have yet to discover the arts.
Our Goals are:
To evolve into a center for learning, tolerance, dialogue and understanding.
To educate and increase the public's understanding and appreciation of the arts by providing performances of an artistic nature in public places, senior citizens homes, churches, community centres and educational institutions and by providing seminars on topics relating to such performances.
To provide instructional seminars on topics related to the performing and visual arts.
To produce visual and performing arts festivals for the purposes of educating and advancing the public's understanding and appreciation of performing arts and to educate artists through participation in such festivals, events and related workshops.
A New Cultural District
The Caledonia Arts Block aspires to operate a community arts centre or centres, starting with a partnership with the Grand River Gallery as part of Downtown Caledonia's larger transformation into what we hope to build into the cultural centre of Haldimand. We would like to encourage private, not-for-profit and public organizations partner to share resourses and create a vibrant culture oriented district that would benefit local citizens and tourists alike.
With an active and engaging program of arts, culture, crafts, music and live performance, the community arts centre will appeal to a broad section of the community and will attempt to remain sustainable through event and service fees, memberships and public and private donations.
"Culture-Led Regeneration is a multi-dimensional approach to the renewal or revitalization of a community wherein art, culture and creativity play a leading role in transformation. It is a practice focused on the confluence of creative people and dynamic places – intersections that stimulate, catalyze and drive the emergence of vital creative ecology's throughout cities and communities."
The Caledonia Arts Block is the result of creative thinking by members of the arts community who participated in the preliminary discussions regarding the formation of the Haldimand Artists Group and is a natural extension of those earlier efforts.
Currently a dialogue and consensus is emerging with the aim to bring real benefits to all our local artists and to the greater community.