“Libraries are the first base of culture in any community,” and Wesley Bates, president of the Minto Arts Council feels it is only fitting that town’s centre for the arts is above the Harriston Carnegie library.
The gallery is operated by the council.
Bates said, the original architects designed facilities like Harriston’s to include a library and a gallery, believing that both are essential to community life. Today, it is a facility to house community interest in the past, the present, and the future.
The Minto arts council has worked and partnered with the Minto Heritage Association, Palmerston Railway Museum, Clifford Historical Society, the Norgan Theatre, the Palmerston and Harriston Fall Fairs, and the Minto Farmer’s Market.
“As president of the Minto Arts Council, it is with great pride that I tell you that I am working with a very forward thinking crew,” Bates said.
Now a resident of Clifford, he came to the area over a decade ago.
Upon leaving Hamilton in 1999, he has been on eight different committees over a number of years, and had promised himself that he wasn’t going to join anything … for two years.
“I was going to get busy doing something else.
About a year and nine months later, a friend, Tony Luchiani, convinced him to join the arts council.
“That’s the way I got involved. I liked the idea of the community having an arts council. It’s a very unusual thing to have.”
He noted that “None of the communities surrounding the town have an organization that is operating at the same level.
The arts council began in 1997, and Bates speculated it was likely one of the first of its type in the immediate area. The council organizes an average of six exhibitions as well as other events each year.
In 1999, it founded the Basement Café Concert Series.
The council presents three live music concerts each year, featuring local and nationally recognized musicians.
In 2007, the Minto Arts Council won the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement award for volunteerism in Ontario.
While Bates noted there are other arts organizations in Listowel and Hanover, “They do not operate their own galleries or concert series. You would have to go to Southampton, Goderich, or Owen Sound to find a comparable arts council. Arts councils in this area are functioning and do good work, but they’re not created in the same way we are.”
For 18 years, Bates was on the board of the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas, which is a much larger organization than this one.
“So I have lots of experience working on a community arts council.”
“Theirs isn’t set up quite the same as ours. That one is more an arts and crafts association, but they operate very much like an arts council.”
He described it as one of the leading arts group in that region.
He laughed when he noted that terms are undefined for the length of the president’s position.
“The last one stayed on for six years because the rest of us wouldn’t take it on. She was very sweet to do that.”
In addition to the six annual shows at the gallery, there are shows of works by students from Norwell District Secondary School and Minto Clifford Public School.
The public school show was being installed last week, during Bates interview with the Advertiser. That show continues until June 12.
“We have a mandate to support local … and we use local in a very general term … local artists. We also do heritage exhibitions, and are connected with the schools.”
In 2009 the arts council “Archie” award was given to Minto-Clifford art student Jordan Scholten, and marked the ninth year the council sponsored the award presented to the school’s most promising art student.
He noted the group is always looking for additional members.
This year, the arts council approved a bursary for Norwell High School and is working with the school administration to develop the criteria for awarding it.
One particular push right now, he said, is to raise the profile of the arts council.
“We’re really proud of it, because this council is unique in our whole area.”
Bates said there is the fine arts thrust, the public thrust, and the exhibition thrust, which he also considers unique.
There are 38 volunteer members, but the council is initiating a consolidated email list. “Right now several people have several lists,” he said. As an example, he said there are 58 people on the list he uses.
And there are others he defines as Friends of the Arts Council.
He said the council is hoping to sell memberships at $15 each.
The group also has a website www.mintoartscouncil.ca and through it, publishes a Newsletter, and that Newsletter would be sent to those with memberships.
He added that membership in the Minto Arts Council has added benefits. Places such as the Ontario Art Gallery will honour the local membership as a gallery membership and offer reduced rates.
The arts council also hosts trips to other studios, such as the Arts Crawl in Hamilton. A similar tour is planned for London this year.
Bates said there are also student tours to local artist studios on an improvised basis.
Some of Bates’ visions for the future include more arts council activities.
“Essentially we hope to be able to extend more opportunities to get involved in the arts.”
Those could include winter arts classes or bringing in guest speakers.
But, he stressed, those are still in the idea stage right now.
He also noted the Harriston Library is on Wellington County’s list of libraries for renovations. In the recent past, major expansions and renovations have happened at the Carnegie Libraries in Elora and Mount Forest.
Bates said the Arts Council is in the midst of a five-year agreement with the town for use of the upstairs gallery.
The group had made the agreement with the town before the county took over control of all the libraries and bought the building. The Wellington County library board honoured that agreement.
When the renovations happen, Bates is uncertain what the group’s status as tenants will be.
He said members have been working to raise the profile of the arts council and to let members of the community know what the organization does.
Bates also took pleasure in the town’s support of the arts.
“We are delighted to be part of a community where council is aware and understands the importance of arts and culture. The town’s commitment to developing a cultural plan and to cultural mapping for the community is of great interest to the arts council. We want you to know that we look forward to being an active participant in the plans for Minto’s arts and cultural future.
“Participation is a key work in the arts council’s plans for the future,” he said.
“We also want council to be aware as well. At some point, I think the community will want to support the arts council in a more direct way.”
He added that recently, the organization has achieved its charitable status.
The gallery is open: Tuesdays 7 to 9pm; Thursdays and Fridays 2 to 4pm, and 7 to 9pm; and Saturdays 11am to 1pm or by special appointment. For more information call 519-338-5242, 519-338-2497, or visit the website at www.mintoartscouncil.ca.
Minto Art Council … by the numbers
13 years of presenting arts, crafts and heritage exhibitions.
81 exhibitions averaging 6 per year
12648 visitors averaging 156 per show
11 years of the Basement Café Concert Series
33 shows in the series
2156 music lovers entertained averaging 65 per show
10 member board of directors
31 volunteer members average per year
7858 volunteer hours donated over the 13 years
