Federal funding to provide stability for local art centre on Home Services

Oct

Federal funding to provide stability for local art centre

posted by admin in Home Delivery

playwright William Shakespeare’s image — was showcased in Guelph earlier this year, repairmen were a constant sight at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre fixing an out-of-whack heating and cooling system.

The glass casing that protected the Bard’s image for six months was more for security measures rather than a shield for the rapid humidity changes experienced in the gallery this past year, said Aidan Ware, the art centre’s public programming assistant.

During the six months the Bard sat in the Guelph gallery, staff had to ensure that proper temperatures requested by the painting’s custodian, the Art Gallery of Ontario, were maintained. It also meant spending nearly $20,000 in repairs to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, said Judy Nasby, the centre’s director and curator.

The new heating and cooling system will cost $500,000 and Nasby has requested $60,000 from the city in its 2008 budget and has also sent out an application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

For example, Nasby said the National Gallery of Canada has already told them that unless the Guelph gallery’s heating and cooling system is fixed, it won’t be able to borrow any pieces to exhibit.