Allies of art in Waterloo Region

A local venture-capital investor is seeking to bring visual arts to the forefront in the Waterloo Region through a new organization.

Art Allies, founded in November 2010 by Jacqui Murphy, brings art collectors together with local artists to promote and sell local art. Art Allies presents exhibitions, such as Art Movement currently held at the Waterloo Community Arts Centre until May 28th, and invites members of the community to come out to enjoy the artwork while interacting with artists.

“I wanted to start Art Allies because at the tech sector everyone’s heads are down. People are very involved in their own specific industry, but not in their local community,” says Murphy of Tech Capital Partners of Waterloo. “I decided that I’m going to build art and culture in this region because I’m tired of hearing people complain about the lack of art.”

An eclectic collection from nineteen artists is presented throughout the designated historical building also known as the Button Factory. Community members gathered to view the art, and potentially become buyers.

Heather Franklin, Executive Director of the Waterloo Community Arts Centre helped set up the event.

“Art Allies is a great way to connect people,” she said. "I see it as a very successful way of getting artists together with the public."

Maca Suazo is an exhibiting artist at Art Movement.

“It’s hard as an artist being isolated in your studio. Art Allies is a network to connect artists together in the community,” Suazo said.

As one of the fastest growing regions in southwestern Ontario, with a population estimated at 534,900 in 2009, Waterloo Region still has a way to go in terms of supporting its existing cultural framework and local arts organizations. Community members attending the reception seem to agree.

“There’s a pent-up build and want for real art in your home. You can try and find and buy art at festivals and shows, but it’s not always as easy to find. Jacquie created an easy way to capture the art and the artists and bring them to the community,” said Sherry McMenem, a community member and attendant at the exhibit.

Melanie Baker, also an attendant and community member, sees a need for more interaction between artists and their art and the viewer.

“The local aspect is big – this idea of actually meeting the artist is really interactive,” she says. “It’s still casual too – it’s just a lot of people hanging out, but you can learn what you want to learn about art, on your own terms, in a non-intimidating way.”

Still, funding is a key issue faced by many cultural organizations, especially new, independent organizations. When it comes specifically to programming grants for cultural organizations in 2011, the City of Kitchener will spend $220,000 through its Arts Sustainability Fund which only funds its four major art and culture organizations (TheMuseum, Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, and the Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization). The City of Kitchener also has a total of $2,436,489 in grant money, but that is distributed to all spheres, from health to educational and recreational programming.

The City of Waterloo will spend $120,000 through its Cultural Enterprise Fund and $89,000 for programming grants (that does not include festivals and events funding), and City of Cambridge will spend $32,450 for all arts and culture grants initiatives.

New arts and culture organizations who offer something fresh to the Region can find that seeking grant money is difficult when the competition is high. Murphy’s approach is to build on the community’s enthusiasm and the support of art collectors for funding instead of relying on external funding.

“I’m not a big fan of government funding. Artists create value and [Art Allies] is about bringing art into the community, and developing the art community from revenue, not from government hand downs,” she said.

With a few galleries and museums scattered throughout the Waterloo Region, Murphy sees more potential for visual art exhibitions in the Region. “In Toronto or New York City, you walk down the street and see galleries everywhere, and we just don’t have that here," she said. Murphy and other art supporters want to see that changed.