There’s a new arts space rolling into Burnaby as the city welcomes a mobile arts studio on wheels to Edmonds Park for the next 16 months.
The studio is part of a plan to expand studio space and “bring art closer to the community,” according to a press release on the new partnership between the City of Burnaby and Other Sights for Artists’ Projects.
The “Fleet: Edmonds” studio will be an adaptable space for artists to use in a variety of different ways, such as a visiting artist studio, space for talks and presentations, or as a community workshop for programs like plant dyeing, according to its open call.
The studio supports formats including radio or podcast, event facilitation and program mentorship.
The city wants it to be a community gathering place where residents and visitors can take part in cultural events and activities.
Fleet by Other Sights is a multi-year response to “the loss of arts and culture hubs across Vancouver,” citing a 2019 report by Vancouver’s Eastside Arts Society which found almost 400,000 square feet of studio spaces were lost in Vancouver as a result of redevelopment in the previous decade.
The initiative plans to build a “Fleet” of moveable studios for working artists throughout the Lower Mainland, according to the project’s website.
Another Fleet studio is under construction on Granville Island in Vancouver.
The new Edmonds studio is now hosting an open call for participation to artists, community members and groups, with special consideration for culturally diverse work in the Edmonds area.
The 29-by-eight-foot space has capacity for up to 25 people and is equipped with a desk, flat storage, chairs and tables, according to the call.
The studio will have a launch party Saturday, May 25 from noon to 4 p.m. with performances by Coastal Wolf Pack and Burnaby-based musician Mohamed Assani, as well as a mobile printing press project by Eliot White-Hill.
An open house on Sunday, May 26 will feature the opportunity for residents and local artists to find out more about how to get involved with the space through an open call for artists and community groups.
The mobile studio is expected to stay at Edmonds Park until September 2025.
Launch party for Fleet: Edmonds artist space
When: Saturday, May 25 from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Edmonds Park (7433 Humphries Ave.)
Cost: Free
