I had taken a short vacation in Edmonton -- yes, Edmonton! I wanted to go and see the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Art Gallery of Alberta. I was so impressed with my visit that I wrote up a letter to the editor to the Edmonton Journal newspaer about it. I had written letters to the editor before to the Vancouver Sun, but didn't have much success at being published in the newspaper.
To my surprise, the letter has just been published and is now visible in the letters section of the Edmonton Journal website. I had found out about it through an email correspondent. Should you wish to see the letter with accompanying stock photo, click on the link to see the letter: http://tiny.cc/jiind
If there's one thing Vancouver should take away from this community example, it's to have more consideration for the city's arts and culture sector. The creative class often enhances the quality of life in a city.
But for your convenience, here is the letter in its entirety:
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the new Art Gallery of Alberta during a short vacation to Edmonton, and the results are most impressive. The art gallery is a clear affirmation of the importance of the visual arts in the Edmonton community.
The city has much to be proud of in their new art gallery facilities. The gallery spaces are comfortable and spacious, and there was an interesting, engaging mix of exhibitions at the time of my visit: Canada's Lawren Harris, conceptual art in Canada and even Andy Warhol.
I thought the small café on the third level was a thoughtful touch for visitors looking for rest and refreshment, as is the rooftop sculpture garden.
Zinc, the restaurant, is a beautiful place for lunch serving meals with locally sourced ingredients and friendly service. While some citizens may balk at the unusual architectural style of the building, I find it compelling that the distinctive design is able to reference the Edmonton community. Consequently, the Art Gallery of Alberta's architectural design is without equal in Western Canada.
As for the issue of whether it is a prudent use of tax dollars, there's something prudent about investing money in a city's cultural infrastructure. A new art gallery ensures that the institution's collection will be cared for in appropriate surroundings and viewed in a building that will anticipate future audiences and demands.
In contrast, my community of Vancouver is moving slowly on the idea of supporting the Vancouver Art Gallery's proposal to move to a new purpose-built facility elsewhere in downtown Vancouver.
While I'm confident in the process, some citizens seem indifferent to the art gallery's plight. Moreover, a recent study in British Columbia determined that for every dollar spent on arts and culture, the economy gets back $1.36 within a year. It would be interesting to find out if the province of Alberta experiences the same positive phenomenon.
There is no doubt that the City of Edmonton and its citizens are making arts and culture a priority in their community as seen in the new AGA and also in the emerging discussions surrounding the design of the Royal Alberta Museum.
Edmonton's example to carve out such a robust arts and cultural scene should be an example to other western Canadian communities.
