This Brampton Organization is Asking for More Money from the City

Brampton | Ontario | Latest News |

Published January 21, 2019 at 8:46 pm

While providing a great outlet for creativity and artists to promote their works, arts is always an area that struggles with funding to keep it going.

While providing a great outlet for creativity and artists to promote their works, arts is always an area that struggles with funding to keep it going.

Beaux Arts Brampton, a quaint little art gallery for local artists situated in downtown Brampton, has hosted a number of decent events (as well as paint nights) but lately they’ve been struggling with money issues.

So much so, that they have approached Brampton city council and the city to help them (once again) with matters such as rent and utility fees, according to council agenda documents for the January 23 council meeting.

Beaux Arts’ request is for the city to enter into an 18-month lease with a 60-day exit clause at their 70-74 Main Street North location, at the current lease per square foot amount. They are also asking for $16,000 on rent plus over $21,000 to cover utility costs from January 2019 to June 2020, for a total of over $38,000.

This is not the first time this request has come in from the gallery. Here’s what was approved in 2017 from the city:And in 2018:The gallery has been opened in Brampton since 2002. The city has also been providing below market rent value for Beaux Arts for over a decade, which amounted to about $1 million in support.

During last weeks’ council committee meeting, Beaux Arts’ Executive Director Regan Hayward expects that Beaux Arts will be operational and well positioned to secure additional funding from arts and cultural granting bodies once they got this help from the city.

Council referred the matter to city staff for review and report back at the January 23 council meeting.

Funding for arts has always been a struggle, at least in Peel Region. Some time back, Studio 89 in Mississauga asked for $50,000 from Mississauga city councillors in order to stay open. While facilities like Studio 89 can be beneficial to certain aspects of the community, in the end organizations like this have a hard time being financially sustainable.

Arts is a very niche area that, when done right, could yield economic benefits. But with the city helping the facility out with rent for the last two years, it’s hard to see them currently a financially sustainable model.

Hopefully, Beaux Arts and the city can come up with a better solution in the long run or find a better location.

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