A new stage for Yarmouth: Historic downtown building to become arts hub
CBC
The moment musician Julia Cunningham stepped into the former Art Gallery of Nova Scotia building in Yarmouth on Thursday, she felt a sense of possibility.
"I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's definitely got a bit of a clean, modern feel and enough room to have a nice show,” she said.
Her performance during Nova Scotia Music Week was one of the first since the town acquired the space.
The town announced the acquisition of the building on Main Street in a news release on Tuesday.
The AGNS first opened its western gallery in 2006. It was open year-round until 2020, then scaled back to a seasonal operation.
The transfer, finalized for one dollar, aims to create a permanent arts hub.
A town news release stated the goal is to bolster the arts sector in the area.
For Mayor Pam Mood, the purchase was a necessary commitment.
“We just couldn't let it go and take the chance of anything happening but what we believe should be there, which is arts and culture,” Mood said.
The building sits in a prime downtown location, a few blocks from the ferry terminal.
For Yarmouth-born musician Cameron Nickerson, who performs at the building on Saturday evening, the venue is a genuine homecoming.
"When I was in high school, me and a friend, we did a project on the art gallery and ... we wrote a little song about the art gallery," he said. "So, it's a little special for me."
Nickerson says his father also used to run a gym in the building.
"I think they'll have some great luck with bringing in whatever music or whatever kind of functions they decide," Nickerson said.
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