Art-Theatre-Music-Dance-Lit

[markbarbera]

This is disappointing to see, but not really unexpected. The move to Dofasco Centre for the Arts was a cost-cutting attempt, but it may have cost them more in the long run with lost subscribers. It isn't really a good venue for an opera, at least that is what I found in my own personal experience.

I am still holding out hope for a 'hail Mary' pass that will save this cultural institution for Hamilton.

In other news, I see Kanye West is coming to Copps Coliseum...

[ScreamingViking]

I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'd think opera caters to a smaller niche than other performing arts - is that fair to say?

It is unfortunate when the city loses any kind of cultural institution though.

[hammerton]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

This is disappointing to see, but not really unexpected. The move to Dofasco Centre for the Arts was a cost-cutting attempt, but it may have cost them more in the long run with lost subscribers. It isn't really a good venue for an opera, at least that is what I found in my own personal experience.

I am still holding out hope for a 'hail Mary' pass that will save this cultural institution for Hamilton.

In other news, I see Kanye West is coming to Copps Coliseum...

Indeed, I didn't enjoy Dofasco as much as Hamilton Place. Nonetheless, I'm extremely disheartned about losing the Opera in Hamilton. :[

[thistleclub]

Canadian museums take part in project to track down Nazi-looted paintings
(Globe & Mail, James Adams, Feb 5 2014)

Six Canadian art museums are participating in a project that’s expected to help them determine if they have any Nazi-looted paintings in their permanent collections, as well as provide guidelines that other Canadian institutions can use to make the same determinations.

Participants were announced Wednesday morning in Ottawa by the project administrator, the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization (CAMDO). The two-year pilot project, known now as the Holocaust-era Provenance Research and Best-Practice Guidelines Project, was actually announced last April by Canadian Heritage. At that time, the federal department said it was committing close to $191,000 to the project which, it said, would “raise the international profile of Canada,” in the quest to find Nazi-looted art in public institutions and, where possible, restore that art to its rightful owners or heirs. Announcement of the project coincided with the start of Canada’s one-year chairmanship of the 31-member International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

The six participating museums, a mix of large and small, mostly Ontario-based, are the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), Art Gallery of Windsor, McMaster Museum of Art (Hamilton), Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto), University of Lethbridge Art Gallery (Lethbridge, Alta.) and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The eventual goal is to create a national database.


Read it in full here.


Related: Nine years ago today, a California judge released his ruling dismissing a lawsuit by Hamilton lawyer Andrew Orkin and his South African relatives against the late actress Elizabeth Taylor over ownership of the 1889 Vincent van Gogh painting, Vue de l’Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Rémy (View of the Asylum and Chapel at Saint-Remy), allegedly sold under duress when its owner fled Nazi persecution in 1939. The appeal of that decision was filed seven years ago this week. And as luck would have it, two years ago today, the painting – which reportedly hung above Taylor's mantle – sold at auction for $16 million.

[thistleclub]

Arts cash lost in maze
(Hamilton Spectator, Matthew Van Dongen, Apr 5 2014)

It's hard to follow the money for the arts at City Hall.

Some councillors are ready to yank $85,000 in annual funding from the Festival of Friends over a lack of audited financial statements, but others say the city should first enact a policy that actually requires that information.

At the same time, council is dipping into reserves for $80,000 in ad hoc cash for Supercrawl and debating whether to give cash-strapped Theatre Aquarius $127,000 that became available when Opera Hamilton folded in January.

And don't forget a task force suggestion to increase taxpayer funding for the arts by $1 million or a long-delayed review of the Community Partnership Program (CPP), which hands out $3 million a year in small grants to smaller organizations, including arts groups.

"There are lots of balls in the air… It can be confusing," said Stephanie Vegh, executive director of the Hamilton Arts Council and advocate for an overhaul of the city's much-maligned system of public money for the arts.

Vegh said the arts community is "clamouring" for a response to task force suggestions from last year calling for more arts funding, spread widely and in an "equitable fashion."

The response is coming — slowly. The city just folded its study of arts funding into a new review of the CPP small grants program, said review director John Hertel. A report is expected in June — four months before the next election.
There's plenty to chew on.

• The small grant program was slammed last year by city auditors for handing out cash to groups that were ineligible, applied late or hadn't actually applied at all.

• Councillors have agonized over how to fund up-and-coming street festival Supercrawl, which has received large amounts of ad hoc cash two years running.

• As small groups clamour for a more equitable funding, larger "anchor" arts groups say they're underfunded. One of them, Opera Hamilton, just folded.

Hamilton needs a new arts funding system that is "transparent, understandable and fair," said Councillor Brad Clark, who made the motion to withhold Festival of Friends cash.

That move spurred a nasty public confrontation with festival frontman and political pundit Loren Lieberman, who later criticized the mayoral candidate on cable TV and riled some viewers by bringing up the health of Clark, who has rheumatoid arthritis.

Lieberman suggested questioning festival finances over a lack of particular financial documents is comparable to questioning Clark's fitness to be mayor because he hasn't publicized his medical records.

Lieberman later denied the anecdote was a personal shot at Clark. But he added transparency "has to work both ways," noting the city doesn't have a policy requiring audited financial statements from the festival or any other group.

"What I gave them was fine when I submitted it. Now, I'm told it's not," he said. "Just tell us what the rules are."

Vegh said smaller arts groups also deserve more streamlined access to cash. "The city also needs to be clear on what it wants."

City finance staff say they've traditionally asked for, but not insisted on, full audited financial statements from large groups funded as boards and agencies.

Clark, who won't comment on the criticisms, said Lieberman "knows full well" council has long expected better financial reporting from the festival.

Councillor Bob Morrow said until those expectations are formalized in a policy, the festival shouldn't be penalized. He plans to change his earlier "yes" vote to yank festival funding, calling it an inadvertent error.

Morrow has also filed a notice of motion for an arts funding boost outside the current review. "I'm not talking huge amounts, but I thought there are always opportunities to re-examine other (funding) sources," he said.

[thistleclub]

Brian Griffith, who ‘inspired generations’, dies at age 60
(Hamilton Spectator, Graham Rockingham, Nov 14 2014)

The Hamilton music community is mourning the loss of Brian Griffith, a master guitarist who played and recorded with a wide range of artists including Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Lori Yates, Tom Wilson, Dave Rave and Harrison Kennedy.

Griffith, one of the city's best loved musicians, died in his sleep at his Pine Street home Friday at the age of 60.

The night before, Griffith had cancelled his regular Thursday night gig at the Cat 'n' Fiddle pub, complaining of shortness of breath, said Eudene Luther, the guitarist's partner of 20 years. Griffith is survived by his son Daimon Kennedy.

Griffith was born and raised in Hamilton, growing up in a musical family, a nephew to the late great jazz and blues singer Jackie Washington.

He was known for his inspired electric blues, reggae and rock solos, but could also provide tasteful acoustic backing to more traditional folk, country and jazz.

Griffith was a regular on the city's club scene for decades despite gaining an international reputation as a respected studio guitarist.

Daniel Lanois, a Grammy-winning producer for acts such as Bob Dylan and U2, employed Griffith on several albums, including Willie Nelson's "Teatro" and Emmylou Harris's "Wrecking Ball."

"I never made the album I told Brian I would make with him, and that's not good," said Lanois, when told the news in Chicago where he performed a concert Friday night. "He was a world-class player. Not many people know this but he was also a great bass player. We go way back, 35 years."

Read it in full here.

[interr0bangr]

I never knew how crazy busy Theatre Aquarius was. If this development ever happens it'd be awesome.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/56...-king-william/



A vision is in place to turn part of King William Street into a performing arts district.

It's being led by Theatre Aquarius, which can't meet demand for use of its 750-seat venue, Dofasco Centre for the Arts.

Theatre Aquarius draws more than 100,000 visitors a year and generates more than $12 million in direct economic benefits to Hamilton each year. Those numbers could be much higher, says general manager Lorna Zaremba, if there were a smaller, more flexible theatre space nearby.

In dramatic circles, it's called a black box theatre. It's open space where the stage and seating can be configured in any way for any kind of performance.

"When we look at our own growth and sustainability, there are exploding revenue opportunities that we can't grow because we're landlocked in this building," she said.

"We're a destination and an anchor but we need a district around us."

She said the theatre has been keeping its head above water "but if you're always running to keep up, you're actually getting behind. You have to see the needs going forward."

Theatre Aquarius has a full subscription series that leaves little room for stage time for workshops, camps or its performing arts school. There are year-round rental requests that have to be turned down because the theatre is in use, says Zaremba. As well, the theatre is too big for some shows and needs more flexible space to accommodate a range of productions, rehearsals and youth and postsecondary programs.

"The performing arts community is telling us it needs this," she said.

Zaremba and the theatre's board decided not to wait for the city or a private developer to solve the problem. It hired planning group Civicplan and architect David Premi to study the situation and come up with a proposal.

Zaremba is now analyzing the financials and developing a business case for the project. The theatre's board has created a taskforce and the plan has been shopped around to city staff. The idea, ultimately, is to find a development partner.

"There are so many theatre artists moving here. And they want to have theatre work in their home community," she said.

"This is an opportunity to help develop the theatre industry in Hamilton and develop future artists."

For planner Paul Shaker, it's about connecting the section of King William between John Street and Wellington Street to the more thriving western end and to King Street running through International Village.

"We need to connect those dots."

A 15-year city master plan from 2004 covering King William from James to Wellington envisions the east-west corridor as "Hamilton's destination entertainment district." It divides King William into three precincts, with only the first – from James to John – having been implemented.

King William was extensively reconstructed between James and John streets, where the reborn Lister and the Empire Times have given new life to the street. There is a strong existing streetwall, at least on the north side, featuring restaurants, cafes and bakeries.

Beyond John is another story. There are expanses of surface parking lots and the view of the rear of buildings facing King, broken up by the imposing edifices of the police station and the Goodwill building.

The most ambitious aspect of the new vision is an infill development on a city-owned parking lot at 140 King William across from the central police station. It calls for a 200- to 500-seat theatre, office space, 200 residential units and parking for the district.

Those behind the plan think it could be a catalyst for more development in the corridor.

Coming up with the plan involved consultations with others in the performing arts, neighbours, city officials and representatives of local postsecondary institutions.

The Beasley Neighbourhood Association had already identified the strip of King William as an opportunity to add density and height, said Shaker.

The plan calls for sidewalk improvements along King William to be extended from John eastward. That includes wider sidewalks, stylized lighting, planters and public art.

Shaker says a little known "request for information" issued by the city asked for community proposals to redevelop city-owned parking lots with a parking structure and perhaps, a multiuse facility attached.

"I think this plan broadened their perspective on what this RFI could be," said Shaker. "It's a great opportunity to use it as a catalyst for something more beyond parking."

The lot size would allow for a residential tower that could be set back far enough from the street to not affect the pedestrian experience, said Premi. Extra height in the tower could be traded for community access to the theatre space, he said.

The vision also explores expansion of Dofasco Centre for the Arts at the north side of the existing site, with potential frontage on King and Ferguson. The 65,000-square-foot expansion would include more workshop space for scene-building, a café space for dinner theatre, and more rehearsal and classroom space. That would open the studio space at Theatre Aquarius's home for more rental bookings and give dedicated space for a theatre school that currently operates in the lobby and directors lounge.

The plan's advocates say a proposed theatre at the Tivoli site on James Street North does not conflict with theirs.

"In a city the size of Hamilton, there used to be dozens of these facilities downtown," said Premi.

[thomax]

I posted all the plans/renderings for that a couple weeks ago in the "Downtown Update" thread. Here they are if you haven't seen them:

Hamilton Performing Arts District Study by DpAi Architects


The King William Performing Arts District Concept Plan presented in this report will create an inetragted, multi-use district centred on the Theatre Aquarius with a mixture of performing arts, retail, commercial, and residential uses bringing vibrancy to the area and sustainability to the Theatre, while connecting the district to other parts of the downtown. This study was commissioned by Theatre Aquarius, Hamilton’s premier professional theatre company with performing arts facilities located on King William Street in downtown Hamilton. As a cultural anchor, the Theatre draws more than 100,000 visitors a year to its facility, and contributes more than $12M in direct economic benefit to Hamilton each year.

As with many cultural institutions, the long-term sustainability of the Theatre requires proactive planning to ensure its ongoing success. In addition to proposed expansion of the institution, DPAI examined existing limitations on the Theatre’s ability to grow as a destination in the downtown. After reviewing local by-laws and plans and consulting with representatives from the performing arts community, neighbourhood, the City of Hamilton, and local post-secondary institutions, DPAI produced a proposed design concept of the district. - dpai.ca



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[CaptainKirk]

Very cool!

As much as i like this, I also hope something could also be done to re-invigorate King St, ie have main entrances and marquees on King.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

Very cool!

As much as i like this, I also hope something could also be done to re-invigorate King St, ie have main entrances and marquees on King.

I agree. The potential extension of Dofasco Centre (south, not north as the article states) is the only idea presented. The Connaught redevelopment may help shift things along for King too, especially if the entire proposal gets built.

Those lots on the south side of King William between Catharine and James really need to go too.

[thistleclub]

The tentpole residential highrise and office complex (aka "Key Catalyst Opportunity") sited just off the NW corner of King and Walnut seems to be a variation on stillborn concept for the lot across the street (the first venture proposed by Hamilton Realty Capital Corporation, pre-Cannon Knitting Mills):

"At the time (2007-2009), the property directly south of Headquarters was being proposed for development – it consisted of Municipal Parking Lot #5, the former Century Theatre property, the former Sandbar Tavern and two other property holdings on the north side of King St. E., Hamilton. The Director of the Downtown and Community Renewal Group at the time, Ron Marini, and the Manager of the Hamilton Realty Capital Corporation, Glen Norton, had ongoing meetings with police administration relative to police participation in the development of this property. The vision for the property was high density housing, 80,000 ft² for public health offices, a major grocery store, multilevel parking, theatre and ground level commercial/storefront. The potential for up to 80,000 ft² existed for police needs in this shared facility."

Originally Posted by interr0bangr

I never knew how crazy busy Theatre Aquarius was.

2010: “With 8,000 subscribers and more than 130,000 patrons, Theatre Aquarius is Ontario’s third-largest regional theatre.”
2013: “Theatre Aquarius attracted more than 120,000 people to its events…”
2015: “…welcoming more than 100,000 visitors a year to the Dofasco Centre for the Arts”

They appear to be running at operational capacity: With 127 mainstage performances in the 2014-2015 season and a seating capacity of 750 in the Irving Zucker Auditorium, Theatre Aquarius would realize an audience of 95,250 if they sold out every performance of every show. (An additional 38 sold-out TA2 shows would push them to 100,000.)

Busy as they are, I hadn't realized just how dramatically Theatre Aquarius' productions have tapered off.

With the exception of 1997-1998, the company staged >10 productions per season from 1992-93 to 2009-10. In the 2005-06 season, the company staged 13 productions. In 2010-11, they staged nine.

Every season after, they've staged just six productions — their lowest since 1990-1991, the season before the facility opened.

I assume this reflects the opening of the DSAI-designed Burlington Performing Arts Centre in late 2011.

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Those lots on the south side of King William between Catharine and James really need to go too.

Blue: The Capitol
Red: The Palace
Purple: The Lyric / Century
Yellow: Bennet's Theatre


The Palace Theatre comes down in 1973.










The Loews Theatre renamed later to The Capitol (King Street East).


All pics form Vintage Hamilton facebook

[matt602]

Lyric (Century) theatre photos that I was able to take while it existed:



Interior after conversion to a movie theatre. The drop ceiling was only about half the height of the original auditorium, which could be accessed by a ladder above a screen-right utility closet. I went up there once but didn't get any photos. The original roof of the building had collapsed onto what was left of the old balcony, just above the drop ceiling. The original 1913 wall murals were still up there too. This is why you can see the sun shining through the drop ceiling:

Lyric Theatre (1913-2010) by Matt, on Flickr

Backstage of the Lyric where props would be prepped and painted backdrops could be hung. Stairs on either side (one of them in the background here) would go into the basement where the dressing rooms and boiler room was. The ladder on the right went into the very back of the theatre on the Mary Street side where there were some old offices. Up, way above the ladder, was a serious of wooden catwalks that ascended the full height of the building to a roof hatch. I never had the balls to go up there, you can see their shadow on the wall because the roof hatch was open when I took this. There was still 1910's/1920's graffiti on the wall up there, probably written by the staff of the time:

Lyric - Backstage by Matt, on Flickr

Auditorium of the Tivoli theatre in about 2007. Looks about the same now though they fixed the roof leaks and cleaned up a bit:

Let's all go to the lobby by Matt, on Flickr


Figured I'd contribute this since we're doing the "old theatres of Hamilton" thing.

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by matt602

Figured I'd contribute this since we're doing the "old theatres of Hamilton" thing.

And fits in with the whole King William - theatre arts - vacant lot sub topic.

Very cool pics!

[interr0bangr]

Theatre Aquarius is opening an new school called the "Theatre Aquarius Education Arts Centre".

It's on Wentworth close to Main.

http://theatreaquarius.org/outreach-...cation/school/

[CaptainKirk]

[thistleclub]

Edward Burtynsky’s environmental themes emerge with a harmonious new context at the Art Gallery of Hamilton
(Toronto Star, Murray Whyte, Feb 25 2018)

Edward Burtynsky’s great big photographs ooze uncomfortable truth, though the artist himself, careful not to preach, once took a more ambivalent stance. But at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, where a few dozen of the 76 pictures he recently donated to the museum are now on view, an unintended synergy freights even his earliest images with the unleavened urgency they demand. Terrible beauty, Burtynsky’s esthetic calling card, remains present, never fear. But these days, terror comes first.

The Burtynsky show, Witness, is surrounded by Water Works, an engaging, alarming exhibition that largely concerns itself with the accreting perils of depleting, poisoning or otherwise contaminating our most precious resource. The AGH, for its part, cries coincidence, but, seriously: To get to his pictures, you have to first walk right through it. Taken together, they send alarm bells ringing: Effect, meet cause.

Read it in full here

[thistleclub]

In Conversation: Martin Short
(New York Magazine, David Marchese, Feb 26 2018)

It’s testament to Martin Short’s talent that he’s attained pantheon status in the comedy world while never quite solely carrying one thing — a blockbuster movie or hit sitcom or live special — that was a true mainstream success. (The Saturday Night Live and SCTV alum has joked that his epitaph will read “Almost.”) But chatting over coffee on the front porch of his rambling, cozy home — it’s just west of Los Angeles, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Mountains — Short talks about his life and career less as a series of wins and losses and more as simply a (very funny) flow of experiences. “You learn quickly,” says the famously affable 67-year-old, who’s frequently on tour with his old friend Steve Martin, “that since you can’t always control the end result of the work, the thing that matters most is having a good hang.” And that he’s mastered.

There’s a bunch of comedians from your generation — friends of yours like Steve Martin or Dan Aykroyd or David Letterman — who seemed to become less interested in, and maybe even cynical about, show business as their careers went on. But you’re still so game for the whole song and dance. What accounts for that?
I don’t think what you’re saying is true. Definitely not about Steve.

You don’t think so? He almost never does movies anymore. You never see him on TV. I think he’s done stand-up once in the last 35 years.
Steve may have soured on stand-up, but not on Hollywood. If Steve comes out here, he’ll have a dinner party and it’s filled with people from the business. But as far as my lacking any cynicism, you have to understand that I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. If I had been a kid in New York, my parents might have said, “Have Marty audition for whatever is playing downtown.” That’s not happening when you grow up in Hamilton. Show business was something that happened on another planet. But once I realized I could make a living by playing around with hilarious people and get cash handed to me — I never got over that.

Read it in full here.

[thistleclub]

Sale of Theatre Aquarius Arts Centre highlights hard times for commercial real estate
(Hamilton Spectator, Saira Peesker, July 5 2021)

After nearly a year of operating its educational programs online, Theatre Aquarius has vacated its education centre at 55 Wentworth St. S. and the landlord has sold the building.

The buyer is Spotted Properties, a property management company that will use it as an office.

The sale reflects a tough time for commercial real estate, particularly for spaces meant to host large groups, says the former owner of the building, Jeff Feswick.

He says landlords facing challenges finding tenants are increasingly moving their investments elsewhere. His Gold Key Inc. sold the building — which housed the Theatre Aquarius Arts Centre as well as five residential units — for $1.15 million on March 16.

Gold Key purchased the building in 2016 for $740,000, according to MLS records.

The theatre had asked to end its lease early, leaving Feswick wondering who he’d find to fill the space in a time where public spaces, offices and storefronts aren’t exactly booming. He said he tried finding a new tenant before putting the property on the market but didn’t have any luck.

“Losing Theatre Aquarius was a huge hit for me,” said Feswick, adding he also allowed the theatre to forgo leasehold improvement payments it owed “in the tens of thousands.”

Spotted Properties operations manager Skylar Dunford says the company, which started out managing student rentals from a storefront in Westdale, is excited to move its office staff of 10 into the space. The company has a total staff of about 20, but the remainder are maintenance workers who don’t work from the office.

Dunford noted several local cultural spaces have been on the market lately due to the inability to gather during the pandemic, most notably the Lincoln Alexander Theatre, which had a listing price of $2.95 million as of mid-June.

“Major price reduction for quick sale,” stated the listing on the Blair Blanchard Stapleton brokerage website. “Vendor motivated.”

Feswick, who had several commercial property investments, says the pandemic has not been kind. He recently sold his coworking space The Seedworks, though his building revitalization company Historia Restoration remains a tenant there.

And while restoration work continues, the cost of building materials has increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic. “It’s a whole different world … I’m 61 and I don’t know what my future will be.”

As for Theatre Aquarius, the company is continuing to run its education programs — which include theatre arts education curricula for children, youth and adults — online for the summer.

Executive director Lorna Zaremba says “in-person Theatre School education programs will resume when it is safe to do so. Initially, we’ll see how we can bring the programs into our Theatre Centre on King William Street.”

[ScreamingViking]

The AGH is looking to find funding for a $90 million expansion. The story has a couple of the latest conceptual images.

Here are concepts from a visioning for a previously cancelled plan to expand toward Main St., done for the gallery's 100th anniversary (2014): https://cgsarch.ca/art-gallery-of-hamilton

Hopefully the ball gets rolling, despite this not being a good time to seek money from the city. It would however dovetail with whatever renos happen at the convention centre and concert hall, and that "square" has always been a misfit space.


Art Gallery of Hamilton seeks city’s support for expansion project
‘Signal from the city’ would help line up senior government funding and inspire donors, board says

https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...ccdb0428e.html

Teviah-Moro
The Hamilton Spectator
September 30, 2023







The Art Gallery of Hamilton has more than 10,500 works but only space to display a fraction of them.

Depending on programming, visitors might see between two and four per cent, says Shelley Falconer, president and CEO.

But the AGH has a plan to change that through a 48,000-square-foot expansion that includes a four-storey extension at the south of the building with a new entrance on Main Street across from city hall.

The estimated $90-million project also calls for new gallery space for its permanent collection and a new exhibition area to chronicle local history and innovation.

The plan also calls for more storage capacity, a new theatre, as well as additional education and event spaces, including a revamped outdoor plaza featuring a splash pad and skating rink.

“It would be an open and welcoming public art museum for the people of Hamilton,” Falconer said. “And that whole area around the building also would be activated.”

To pay for expansion, the AGH is angling for federal and provincial funding, and plans to launch a national fundraising campaign to realize the ambitious initiative.

And a “signal from the city” would help encourage contributions from senior levels of government and inspire donors, board member Eleanor McMahon told council in a recent presentation.

...

The gallery receives a $1-million annual grant from the city, but no regular based funding from the federal and provincial governments.

That’s 16 per cent of its revenue, which is low compared to other galleries of its size and stature, Falconer said. About 60 per cent is drawn from donations and fundraising efforts, while earned proceeds make up the balance.

...

More here