Spirit Way Inc. held its annual general meeting at the Meridian Hotel in Thompson on Jan. 28. During the meeting, board members, friends of Spirit Way and guests got to hear what the group has accomplished in the past year and share in its enthusiasm for the plans for this coming year and into the future.
A few days later, Marion Morberg, president of Spirit Way Inc., and Volker Beckmann, project co-ordinator, joined by Sharon McKay, executive director of Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC) and Dawn Sands, a board member of the Aboriginal Art Centre Inc., were at city council on Feb. 1 to unveil to mayor and council their concept for an Aboriginal Art Centre.
Spirit Way is looking to "develop a unique art and entrepreneurial facility with programming that will offer young artists training in visual arts, mentorship options and skills in marketing, exporting and entrepreneurship to help them develop a sustainable, life-long career in a world-wide Aboriginal art market." The board of directors for the art centre includes Sands, McKay and Morberg, along with Ron Cook with the Mystery Lake School Division, Hilda Fitzner with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), Coun. Charlene Lafreniere, general manager Mark Matiasek with Thompson Unlimited, Laurie Rees-Dysart with R.D. Parker Collegiate, Jeffray Stepaniuk with UCN, Joyce Vandenbroeck-Tait with the Ma Mow We Tak Friendship Centre and provincial court Associate Chief Judge Murray Thompson.
Back in April 2004 Spirit Way identified an aboriginal art centre as a major point of interest. The following November the group created the first proposal and presented it to the Urban Aboriginal Strategy in Winnipeg. In November 2007, an ad hoc committee was established, and in January 2008 funding was secured and art consultants were hired to prepare a feasibility study on an art centre. In May 2008 the phase one feasibility study was completed and presented to Spirit Way's partners, and last December phase two was completed.
To date, it has cost $98,500 for consultants, architects, legal personnel, a quantitative surveyor and more to share input on the project. Funders have been Spirit Way, Thompson Unlimited, the Thompson Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, the Thompson Urban Aboriginal Strategy, Neighbourhoods Alive!, the City of Thompson, MKO and KTC.
During phases one and two, the groups interviewed over 300 people and visited the Poeh Centre in New Mexico to study best model and practices. The committee also developed guiding principals, a vision, mission, mandate and core value set, identified strategic issues and formed a plan, created a memorandum of understanding with UCN, identified program partners and potential partners and selected a site for the centre adjacent to the Burntwood River.
The group also had an architect create a concept model which includes studios, large scale carvings, exhibit space, a gallery, retail area, visiting artist residence, all with "net zero" environmental impact. An academic/curriculum framework was created based on need and construction cost estimates were prepared. After that the legal incorporation process began and bylaws were prepared. The group met with provincial ministers and received a letter of support from Eric Robinson, Manitoba minister of culture, heritage and tourism. They created a list of potential public and private sector funders and talked to interested artists and potential students.
The next step for the committee, phase three, will see them transitioning from Spirit Way Inc. to the Aboriginal Art Centre Inc. (a working name), create curriculum and have it approved, create a capital campaign cabinet and strategy along with a communications strategy and aboriginal culture protocols, work on brand development, a final business plan and a construction and development plan.
