On Aug. 22, The Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery (KWAG) received $106,000 in federal and provincial grants for their website and arts program. They plan to use the money for their website and online programming to reach audiences outside of Waterloo with their art workshops.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the KWAG discovered deficiencies on their outdated website that hindered them from working remotely. Due to this issue, they needed both an on-site and hybrid method to deliver their lessons, galleries and workshops.
“There were some, what you call deficiencies, in our infrastructure that wouldn’t allow us the full digital capacity to actually go online,” said Shirley Madill, the executive director of the KWAG.
When asked whether people would prefer online program delivery over in-person, Madill said the gallery never did an internal assessment on which program delivery is popular. She said she believes online and in-person programming delivery isn’t only about reaching audiences, but it also involves accommodating the needs of gallery visitors and those interested in KWAG’s workshops.
“It depends on what works best for remote and in-person settings. Some people prefer remote programs and some prefer in-person programs,” Madill said.
Madill said providing in-person, remote and hybrid programming is equally critical, as the KWAG needs selective programming to help reach out to audiences better. To access the gallery’s complete collection, it’s better to hold an online gallery than an in-person gallery due to KWAG being unable to always host their full art collection on site.
“So, in that sense, it offers something that we couldn’t offer physically. Whether one is more popular than the other is kind of a moot point.” said Madill.
She also said the funding received by the gallery can help local artists and fine arts students in the area.With he improved website and online programming, students, aspiring artists, and artists who are upskilling (a term used to learn new techniques and skills for a particular job) can access tools and resources that can help them with their craft. The federal and provincial grants will also help promote Waterloo-Kitchener’s art culture.
Andy Houston, an associate professor in the theatre and performance department at the University of Waterloo, said regional art programs need any form of provincial and federal government support they can get as it is a sector that is often neglected.
“Funding plays an integral part in the whole ecosystem of art creation in this region. It tends to breathe some life or energy or create attention to our region,” Houston said.
