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Vancouver Arts Hub

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Learn more about our initial activation plan and find out how you can use the space as we continue to explore the future vision for the Vancouver arts hub.

What arts and culture resources would you like to see in the arts hub building? Share your ideas!

The Vancouver arts hub will give new life to the former Vancouver community library on Mill Plain as a vibrant art center that serves the entire community. With an emphasis on a broad range of visual and digital arts, the arts hub will be a gathering place where people can create and learn together.

  • The Vancouver arts hub is a much-needed community-based center for arts and culture.
  • The Vancouver arts hub provides a variety of space for making art, creating, learning and sharing.
  • The Vancouver arts hub is important because it brings all kinds of people together to inspire creativity, build skills, strengthen community connections, contribute to the local economy and celebrate the spirit that makes Vancouver unique.

As the City of Vancouver becomes of the steward of the former library building, there is an unprecedented opportunity to create this arts hub in a space that is already important to the community. Large, flexible and eye-catching, the building and site are well-suited to a wide variety of activities and events. Located near educational resources, the Historic Reserve and the Downtown Arts District, there are many opportunities for partnerships and for an arts ecosystem to flourish.

The Vancouver Culture, Arts & Heritage Commission is working with City staff to create a concept plan for the building, and researching sustainable options for managing, operating and financing the Vancouver arts hub.

A wide range of perspectives and ideas are needed to help shape the future of the Vancouver arts hub. Take the survey and subscribe to this project to receive updates about this project!

The arts hub will connect people through arts and culture in shared activities, creative collaboration, public discussions, festivals and events. The arts hub will be a source of community pride and a beacon for Vancouver’s cultural expression and artistic spirit. The vision includes classrooms, exhibit space, a community kitchen and a café where people are encouraged to engage with new ideas and with each other. People can enjoy a performance or an outdoor art fair, take art classes, meet artists at work in their studios, and learn about the cuisine of other cultures at a community dinner.

The arts hub will provide facilities for artists and helps fulfill a long-recognized need for studios and exhibit space in Vancouver. Shared space and facilities foster the exchange of ideas and mutual inspiration among local artists and the broader community. A central home for the arts will increase the visibility of Vancouver’s artists in the region and help build successful careers.

The arts hub will invite the entire community to explore ideas, learn new skills and share diverse cultures. Arts and culture are uniquely able to connect people through creativity, cultural expression, the exploration of ideas and the joy of shared celebration. The mission of the Vancouver arts hub includes recognizing and reducing the barriers to access for historically underserved communities.

The arts hub supports both individual artists and the vitality of Vancouver. The arts hub will draw businesses and cultural uses in Downtown and the Historic Reserve by creating a visible and thriving ecosystem of creative enterprises. Enhancing the arts and the quality of life in Vancouver will attract people from around the region to visit and make the city their home.

The arts hub will allow people of all ages to experience and participate in the spectrum of art forms. There will be classes specifically for youth, and activities that foster intergenerational collaboration. Partnerships will reinforce educational programs for a wide variety of audiences and participants.

The arts hub will adapt to community needs and opportunities over time. The collaborative and inclusive vision from facility design through community use allows the arts hub to be responsive both in terms of the physical spaces and its organizational structure.


Learn More

The Vancouver arts hub concept is in the early stages of planning and there are still many decisions to be made about what its future will look like. Community feedback, partnerships and artist expertise will continue to shape the arts hub concept and new questions and responses will emerge. Below are some frequently asked questions based on where the project stands currently.

Vancouver Arts Hub Vision

What is the vision for the Vancouver arts hub project?
The vision gives the historic Vancouver Community Library building (1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd.) new purpose as a modern hub for creativity, learning and sharing through the arts. The Vancouver arts hub will create a home for arts and culture that invites the entire community to gather, explore and participate in the transformative power of artistic and cultural expression. Repurposing the iconic building is a smart investment that will support and grow Vancouver’s creative economy.

What do you mean by a hub?
The Vancouver arts hub will create a space for collaboration and creativity across disciplines, experiences and cultures. As a hub, it will bring together diverse events, activities and opportunities in a common location. It will attract people of all ages and backgrounds to learn, share and celebrate. The Vancouver arts hub will be designed to encourage gathering and connection; for example, a coffee shop and gallery may invite people to spend time together; a community kitchen could offer opportunities to share meals and learn about the culinary heritage of different cultures.

Who is it for? Is it just for artists?
The arts hub will serve the full spectrum of community members, bringing people together to enjoy the spirit of creativity and the many aspects of Vancouver’s culture. The Vancouver arts hub aims to foster joyful interaction and celebration that crosses typical barriers such as age, income, education and background. Events and exhibits would invite everyone to enjoy, be inspired and learn more about the art and cultures represented in Vancouver.

Vancouver Arts Hub Purpose

Why is it important for the community?
Arts and culture contribute to the well-being of communities, creating forums for public dialogue, offering opportunities for skill-building and leadership, and highlighting the things that make Vancouver unique. Fostering arts and culture can inspire community pride. As part of making Vancouver a more vibrant city, it can strengthen community bonds, attract businesses, support entrepreneurship and create a more attractive place to call home.

How does the Vancouver arts hub project express the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion?
The City's strategic goals of diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the Vancouver arts hub. The arts provide unique opportunities to support the many cultures in Vancouver, where people can learn from each other and celebrate together. The Vancouver arts hub will be designed with flexibility in mind to meet evolving needs, embracing diverse communities to lead programming and ongoing outreach.

How is the arts hub concept different from SWCA?
The Southwest Washington Center for the Arts effort envisions a different but complementary facility that focuses on the performing arts. The vision for their facility includes two performance venues and supporting rehearsal space, meeting rooms and a recording studio. As the name suggests, the Vancouver arts hub is designed to be one piece of a larger wheel of facilities, partnerships, artists and patrons that will drive a flourishing arts ecosystem.

Vancouver Arts Hub Funding and Logistics

Why here?
This location, adjacent to the Historic Reserve, has many advantages. The historic Vancouver Community Library building is now owned by the City of Vancouver. The location is easy to reach by car and transit, making it accessible for Vancouver residents and communities throughout the region. The building itself has played a powerful role in community memory as a library, and the Vancouver arts hub can reinvigorate this historic building for a new life as a beloved community gathering place.

How much will this cost? Who will pay?
Preliminary design and construction estimates are between $13.5 and $17.5 million to update and improve the 50,000 square foot former library facility. Because the City owns the property, revitalizing the former community library building provides significant cost savings over new construction. Work will focus on improving ADA accessibility and energy performance, along with seismic enhancements, deferred maintenance and modifications to support the proposed program spaces. Design and construction funding will come from a combination of grants, donations and City support.

The Vancouver arts hub will be sustained through a combination of contributed funds including grants and memberships. It will also generate revenue from facility rentals, class tuitions, studio rentals, and food, beverage and retail sales. Exact fees are not determined at this time, but the Vancouver arts hub is committed to its mission of reducing barriers and increasing accessibility for artists and patrons from historically underserved backgrounds.

Plans to repurpose the former community library building for the Vancouver arts hub were shared with City Council at a workshop on June 26. The presentation included findings from the first round of community engagement, a proposed operating framework, exciting new images that reimagine the building as a community arts hub and a project timeline with key milestones. The full workshop presentation is available at CVTV.org. Materials from the workshop presentation are available in the Project Documents section of this webpage.

The mayor and city council members all strongly supported plans to reuse the building on Mill Plain Blvd. for an arts hub as presented. They were also excited by new images that envision how this space could serve the community in the future and satisfied with the progress made to date on an initial operating framework.

The tentative Vancouver arts hub project timeline shared with City Council is:

Summer

  • Wrap up the current building reuse study and initial phase of community engagement.

Fall/Winter

  • Expand community engagement efforts to artists and the public to refine the floor plan and identify specific equipment and space needs.

Early 2024

  • Work with the Culture, Arts and Heritage Commission and the City's General Services to create an interim use plan for community use of the building, prior to construction.
  • Begin final building design using information collected from expanded community engagement.
  • Implement a funding strategy to pursue opportunities for external funding through grants and other sources.
  • Add Vancouver arts hub to the City's biennium budget process to prepare for future bidding and construction.

WATCH: "Saturday morning at the Vancouver arts hub" excerpt from the City Council workshop presentation (approx. 5 minutes).

We are looking for a wide range of perspectives and ideas! There will be ongoing opportunities to be involved in the Vancouver arts hub project and to shape its future. We encourage people to subscribe to the project webpage on Be Heard Vancouver to receive information on upcoming events, surveys and updates.



Leer este sitio web en español

Learn more about our initial activation plan and find out how you can use the space as we continue to explore the future vision for the Vancouver arts hub.

What arts and culture resources would you like to see in the arts hub building? Share your ideas!

The Vancouver arts hub will give new life to the former Vancouver community library on Mill Plain as a vibrant art center that serves the entire community. With an emphasis on a broad range of visual and digital arts, the arts hub will be a gathering place where people can create and learn together.

  • The Vancouver arts hub is a much-needed community-based center for arts and culture.
  • The Vancouver arts hub provides a variety of space for making art, creating, learning and sharing.
  • The Vancouver arts hub is important because it brings all kinds of people together to inspire creativity, build skills, strengthen community connections, contribute to the local economy and celebrate the spirit that makes Vancouver unique.

As the City of Vancouver becomes of the steward of the former library building, there is an unprecedented opportunity to create this arts hub in a space that is already important to the community. Large, flexible and eye-catching, the building and site are well-suited to a wide variety of activities and events. Located near educational resources, the Historic Reserve and the Downtown Arts District, there are many opportunities for partnerships and for an arts ecosystem to flourish.

The Vancouver Culture, Arts & Heritage Commission is working with City staff to create a concept plan for the building, and researching sustainable options for managing, operating and financing the Vancouver arts hub.

A wide range of perspectives and ideas are needed to help shape the future of the Vancouver arts hub. Take the survey and subscribe to this project to receive updates about this project!

The arts hub will connect people through arts and culture in shared activities, creative collaboration, public discussions, festivals and events. The arts hub will be a source of community pride and a beacon for Vancouver’s cultural expression and artistic spirit. The vision includes classrooms, exhibit space, a community kitchen and a café where people are encouraged to engage with new ideas and with each other. People can enjoy a performance or an outdoor art fair, take art classes, meet artists at work in their studios, and learn about the cuisine of other cultures at a community dinner.

The arts hub will provide facilities for artists and helps fulfill a long-recognized need for studios and exhibit space in Vancouver. Shared space and facilities foster the exchange of ideas and mutual inspiration among local artists and the broader community. A central home for the arts will increase the visibility of Vancouver’s artists in the region and help build successful careers.

The arts hub will invite the entire community to explore ideas, learn new skills and share diverse cultures. Arts and culture are uniquely able to connect people through creativity, cultural expression, the exploration of ideas and the joy of shared celebration. The mission of the Vancouver arts hub includes recognizing and reducing the barriers to access for historically underserved communities.

The arts hub supports both individual artists and the vitality of Vancouver. The arts hub will draw businesses and cultural uses in Downtown and the Historic Reserve by creating a visible and thriving ecosystem of creative enterprises. Enhancing the arts and the quality of life in Vancouver will attract people from around the region to visit and make the city their home.

The arts hub will allow people of all ages to experience and participate in the spectrum of art forms. There will be classes specifically for youth, and activities that foster intergenerational collaboration. Partnerships will reinforce educational programs for a wide variety of audiences and participants.

The arts hub will adapt to community needs and opportunities over time. The collaborative and inclusive vision from facility design through community use allows the arts hub to be responsive both in terms of the physical spaces and its organizational structure.


Learn More

The Vancouver arts hub concept is in the early stages of planning and there are still many decisions to be made about what its future will look like. Community feedback, partnerships and artist expertise will continue to shape the arts hub concept and new questions and responses will emerge. Below are some frequently asked questions based on where the project stands currently.

Vancouver Arts Hub Vision

What is the vision for the Vancouver arts hub project?
The vision gives the historic Vancouver Community Library building (1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd.) new purpose as a modern hub for creativity, learning and sharing through the arts. The Vancouver arts hub will create a home for arts and culture that invites the entire community to gather, explore and participate in the transformative power of artistic and cultural expression. Repurposing the iconic building is a smart investment that will support and grow Vancouver’s creative economy.

What do you mean by a hub?
The Vancouver arts hub will create a space for collaboration and creativity across disciplines, experiences and cultures. As a hub, it will bring together diverse events, activities and opportunities in a common location. It will attract people of all ages and backgrounds to learn, share and celebrate. The Vancouver arts hub will be designed to encourage gathering and connection; for example, a coffee shop and gallery may invite people to spend time together; a community kitchen could offer opportunities to share meals and learn about the culinary heritage of different cultures.

Who is it for? Is it just for artists?
The arts hub will serve the full spectrum of community members, bringing people together to enjoy the spirit of creativity and the many aspects of Vancouver’s culture. The Vancouver arts hub aims to foster joyful interaction and celebration that crosses typical barriers such as age, income, education and background. Events and exhibits would invite everyone to enjoy, be inspired and learn more about the art and cultures represented in Vancouver.

Vancouver Arts Hub Purpose

Why is it important for the community?
Arts and culture contribute to the well-being of communities, creating forums for public dialogue, offering opportunities for skill-building and leadership, and highlighting the things that make Vancouver unique. Fostering arts and culture can inspire community pride. As part of making Vancouver a more vibrant city, it can strengthen community bonds, attract businesses, support entrepreneurship and create a more attractive place to call home.

How does the Vancouver arts hub project express the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion?
The City's strategic goals of diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the Vancouver arts hub. The arts provide unique opportunities to support the many cultures in Vancouver, where people can learn from each other and celebrate together. The Vancouver arts hub will be designed with flexibility in mind to meet evolving needs, embracing diverse communities to lead programming and ongoing outreach.

How is the arts hub concept different from SWCA?
The Southwest Washington Center for the Arts effort envisions a different but complementary facility that focuses on the performing arts. The vision for their facility includes two performance venues and supporting rehearsal space, meeting rooms and a recording studio. As the name suggests, the Vancouver arts hub is designed to be one piece of a larger wheel of facilities, partnerships, artists and patrons that will drive a flourishing arts ecosystem.

Vancouver Arts Hub Funding and Logistics

Why here?
This location, adjacent to the Historic Reserve, has many advantages. The historic Vancouver Community Library building is now owned by the City of Vancouver. The location is easy to reach by car and transit, making it accessible for Vancouver residents and communities throughout the region. The building itself has played a powerful role in community memory as a library, and the Vancouver arts hub can reinvigorate this historic building for a new life as a beloved community gathering place.

How much will this cost? Who will pay?
Preliminary design and construction estimates are between $13.5 and $17.5 million to update and improve the 50,000 square foot former library facility. Because the City owns the property, revitalizing the former community library building provides significant cost savings over new construction. Work will focus on improving ADA accessibility and energy performance, along with seismic enhancements, deferred maintenance and modifications to support the proposed program spaces. Design and construction funding will come from a combination of grants, donations and City support.

The Vancouver arts hub will be sustained through a combination of contributed funds including grants and memberships. It will also generate revenue from facility rentals, class tuitions, studio rentals, and food, beverage and retail sales. Exact fees are not determined at this time, but the Vancouver arts hub is committed to its mission of reducing barriers and increasing accessibility for artists and patrons from historically underserved backgrounds.

Plans to repurpose the former community library building for the Vancouver arts hub were shared with City Council at a workshop on June 26. The presentation included findings from the first round of community engagement, a proposed operating framework, exciting new images that reimagine the building as a community arts hub and a project timeline with key milestones. The full workshop presentation is available at CVTV.org. Materials from the workshop presentation are available in the Project Documents section of this webpage.

The mayor and city council members all strongly supported plans to reuse the building on Mill Plain Blvd. for an arts hub as presented. They were also excited by new images that envision how this space could serve the community in the future and satisfied with the progress made to date on an initial operating framework.

The tentative Vancouver arts hub project timeline shared with City Council is:

Summer

  • Wrap up the current building reuse study and initial phase of community engagement.

Fall/Winter

  • Expand community engagement efforts to artists and the public to refine the floor plan and identify specific equipment and space needs.

Early 2024

  • Work with the Culture, Arts and Heritage Commission and the City's General Services to create an interim use plan for community use of the building, prior to construction.
  • Begin final building design using information collected from expanded community engagement.
  • Implement a funding strategy to pursue opportunities for external funding through grants and other sources.
  • Add Vancouver arts hub to the City's biennium budget process to prepare for future bidding and construction.

WATCH: "Saturday morning at the Vancouver arts hub" excerpt from the City Council workshop presentation (approx. 5 minutes).

We are looking for a wide range of perspectives and ideas! There will be ongoing opportunities to be involved in the Vancouver arts hub project and to shape its future. We encourage people to subscribe to the project webpage on Be Heard Vancouver to receive information on upcoming events, surveys and updates.


Page last updated: 02 Sep 2024, 07:31 PM