Whether your answer to the question posed in that headline was a resounding “Yes” or a less-than-enthusiastic “Hold your horses, how much would that set taxpayers back?”– it’s time for you to speak up.
The Burnaby Arts Council is holding a forum next week (Tuesday, Nov. 3, to be exact – see the details in the story on page 14) to get public input on the idea.
We sincerely hope that large numbers of people will turn out to share their thoughts.
Because, clearly, it’s an idea that’s worth discussing.
No, it’s not a new idea. The issue has been ongoing in Burnaby since the early 1970s, arising again in the 1980s and the 1990s – each time ending up back at Square 1.
There’s no question that the existing Burnaby Art Gallery, housed in the heritage Ceperley House at Deer Lake, is a beautiful facility. But it’s far from large, and it’s far from modern – and it seems to us the city would be well-served by a facility with the size and technological capabilities to meet the needs of the 21st century.
And let’s not forget about storage: the City of Burnaby has a vast permanent art collection, with some 5,000-plus works on paper, and the existing facility is simply too small to do it justice.
Does the existing gallery do amazing things?
Absolutely.
Remember the national and international attention that came our way with the Dutch masters exhibition the gallery hosted successfully in 2013?
Not to mention the jam-packed schedule of tours, programs and other special events occurring all year round at the gallery that help to get people of all ages interested and involved in the world of art.
All of that should be celebrated, and all the people involved in the running of the gallery deserve high praise.
But, at the same time, it behooves us as a city to look towards the future and stake out our place as the city we want to become.
As Bill Thomson, chair of the Burnaby Arts Council, put it: “This is a great opportunity to make a statement on how the city believes in culture, it’s a creative city and how it needs to go forward and support its arts community.”
Plans for a new gallery can be one part of that vision.
So turn out to the forum.Ask your questions. Share your concerns. Raise cautions about whatever worries you. Suggest other ideas.
But please, get involved.
The city and its hard-working arts community deserve your interest.
