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(Posted 1:30
p.m., Dec. 24)
Embattled
Visual Arts Centre merges with Ottawa School of Art
By Fred Sherwin
Orleans Online
The
past 12 months have been a rocky ride for the Visual Arts Centre Orléans.
Plagued with organizational problems, dwindling enrollment and a feud with the
City of Ottawa over their potential relocation to the Shenkman Arts Centre, the
centre was closed temporarily last May. After
a five-month hiatus it was reopened in September with a new artistic director
at the helm. Behind the scenes, however, the board of directors was still struggling
with funding issues. But rather than risk closing the centre down after serving
the local arts community for the past 12 years, they decided to approach the Ottawa
School of Art about a possible merger. The
result was a match made in heaven and on Jan. 1 the Visual Arts Centre Orléans
became the Ottawa School of Arts, Orléans Campus. For
the time being, the OAS will offer a limited number of painting and woodcarving
courses out of the existing space on the main floor of the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation
Complex on Youville Drive. They
will also offer several youth oriented courses during the March Break. For course
listings visit www.artottawa.ca or drop by the Orleans Campus between 10 a.m.
and 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The
Ottawa School of Art is expecting to offer a full slate of courses and workshops,
innovative gallery exhibitions, more accessible hours, and community outreach
programs when the Orléans Campus moves into the Shenkman Arts Centre in
May. The
Ottawa School of Art also has a bursary program that is open to anyone wishing
to enroll in one of the school’s visual art courses. Children,
youth, adults and seniors, with or without any prior visual arts experience or
education, but who demonstrate a genuine interest and require financial assistance
are eligible to apply. The
goal is to help students to continue their studies, or to explore their interests
in the visual arts. The value of individual bursary will depend on the level of
financial assistance required and on the availability of funds. (This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local
business partners.) Return
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