Boarding House Arts presents 1st annual group show
Downtown Guelph’s Red Brick Café hosted the 1st annual group show for Boarding House Arts on Friday, Sept. 12. Boarding House Arts also took the opportunity to announce a 2015-2016 call for participants in their Arts Incubator program, while also taking some time to discuss their Arts Studio Program and their Art Patron Program.
“[Tonight] we’re launching our group show, [showcasing members] of our Arts Incubator, and also taking this chance to launch a call for participants for next year’s incubator,” explained Kirk Roberts, co-founding member of Boarding House Arts.
The Arts Incubator is an eighteen-month studio residency and mentoring program that aids Guelph-based artists in advancing their professional careers. Membership is determined through a competitive application process. The program is supported through a partnership between Boarding House Arts, Musagetes, the School of Fine Arts and Music (SOFAM) at the University of Guelph, as well as Capacity 3 Gallery.
Of the eight current residents of the Arts Incubator, seven were present at the Red Brick Café. They were joined by an intimate circle of friends and family. The warm atmosphere of the café allowed for a welcoming environment, ripe for discussion and conversation.
Boarding House Arts is a non-profit organization that works alongside professional artists in order to aid in building contacts, networking, and promoting their work. In addition, they offer affordable studio space, as well as mentoring from some of Guelph’s most notable artists.
“[Kirk and I] became partners once we learned that the building at 6 Dublin St. had come up for sale,” explained Peregrine Wood, co-founding member of Boarding House Arts. “It seemed appropriate since the Guelph Civic Museum was formerly located at the address.”
Boarding House Gallery was founded by a partnership between the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre (MSAC) and SOFAM. The gallery showcases a variety of work by students, faculty, and some of the permanent collections at MSAC.
“Our goal is to foster a local community of artists,” explained Alissa Firth-Eagland, curator at Musagetes and partner of Boarding House Arts. “There are so many talented artists looking to have their work showcased that they often leave Guelph. This is a way to encourage artists to stay and showcase their work in Guelph.”
Targeted at professional artists, Boarding House Arts enables individuals to learn about the market and to gain depth and experience. Boarding House Arts also reaches out to members of the public who are able to purchase art and who are interested in purchasing art. That’s one of the ways that they are able to offset their costs.
“A big part of Boarding House Arts is reaching out to people who can buy art,” explained Roberts. “There’s a large community of artists and art supporters, and our goal is to get these two groups together.”
The Arts Incubator is an opportunity to get industry experience while continuing to refine one’s skill and talent by working alongside talented industry leaders.