FAQ
1. What is an arts incubator?
Similar to most communities, no one arts incubator is the same. However, in their most basic form, these facilities provide affordable space, a strong sense of community and programs focused on talent development. Arts incubators co-locate a range of affordable office, programming and collaboration spaces for non-profit arts and community organizations as well as dedicated studio space for individual artists and creative entrepreneurs working in and across multiple sectors. They connect the community of artists and cultural workers as tenants in the building to each other and to the broader community that the facility is embedded. Lastly, they provide a layer of programming and mentorship focused on building the capacity of individuals and organizations in the arts and culture sector to advance their missions and become more successful entrepreneurs.
2. Who is involved in the King Edward School Transformation Project?
The Calgary Foundation (TCF) and Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA) have formed a unique partnership to purchase and redevelop the site as a mixed-use hub focused on the incubation and advancement of professional arts practice, social innovation and community development. Aside from future tenants of the space, other potential partners may include program delivery organizations, residential developers and community organizations. Transparent and open calls for proposals will be solicited by TCF and CADA to bring any additional partners to the project.
3. What roles do the community representatives play?
Numerous community representatives from South Calgary and the broader arts community across the city are also involved through two distinct and active project committees. Comprised of individuals with relevant and wide-ranging expertise, the Technical Advisory Committee is focused on reviewing and evaluating the engineering, architectural and costing outcomes of the project consultants’ work. The Community Advisory Committee is focused primarily on the community engagement and communications strategy as well as providing input on potential programming directions.
4. Has a project of this scale been done before?
Successful and impactful arts incubator spaces can be found throughout North America and internationally. Canadian examples include the Artscape Wychwood Barns, Centre for Social Innovation and 401 Richmond in Toronto, Edmonton’s Arts Habitat and Ottawa’s Arts Court.
5. Who will utilize this space?
As an arts incubator, diversity is a key value. It is anticipated that a range of charitable and non-profit organizations with missions focused on the arts, community development and social innovation will call the incubator home. It is also anticipated that both experienced professional artists, as well as emerging young artists, would utilize studio spaces. Engaging tenants for the incubator is a multi-stage process initiated through an open call to the arts community across the city.
6. Who will own and run this facility?
The facility will be owned and managed through an entrepreneurial, non-profit structure that reflects the CADA/TCF partnership and the broader community. The exact form of the organizational structure is not yet confirmed.
7. When will the renovations begin / be completed on the King Edward School?
A project of this magnitude is a multi-year process from conception of the idea to construction and operating. Many of these types of projects can take from 2 to 5 years to complete. The first milestone to achieve is the removal of conditions associated with the purchase of the site from the Calgary Board of Education. A period of due diligence has been agreed upon by the CADA/TCF partnership and the school board, anticipated to be complete by June 2011 pending completion of the following:
- Community support and collaboration on developing a shared vision for the incubator and broader site;
- Building and property condition assessments including determination of hazardous materials;
- Remediation and renovation cost estimates;
- Identification of revenue sources to establish and operate the King Edwards School as an arts incubator; and
- TCF and CADA initiating a rezoning process to accommodate a broad range of residential, arts and non-profit uses.
8. Will the integrity of the King Edward School building be maintained?
It is intended that the preservation and adaptive reuse of the 1912 historic school building will anchor the site's redevelopment vision. As one of the sandstone schools built in Calgary’s ‘period of optimism’, the King Edward School has a unique contribution to the early development story of Calgary. Together with other schools such as Connaught, Hillhurst, Ramsay and Sunnyside, they reflect a common ‘DNA’ that defines Calgary’s character and emergence as a prairie city. The restoration and adaptive reuse of the School will ensure that it remains as an important tangible resource for future generations of Calgarians to enjoy. To this end, the partnership has hired Simpson Roberts Architecture, a well respected firm focused on heritage preservation to undertake the building’s feasibility assessment.
9. How will the local community and arts community be consulted?
A comprehensive vision for the site will be developed in partnership with the South Calgary community and the arts community. Both are being consulted in a variety of different ways including:
- Representatives from each community are on a Technical Advisory Committee and a Community Advisory Committee to provide input and expertise;
- An Art Space Demand and Preferences Survey was widely distributed in the fall of 2010 to artists and arts organizations to solicit feedback on the space needs of artists, not for profit organizations, and creative entrepreneurs;
- Individual meetings with South Calgary Community Association, the Library, and the Marda Loop BRZ;
- A Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) and Request for Proposals (RFP) will be going out to the arts community, and information sessions will be held for each;
- Community workshops and open houses will be held in the spring; and
- A central KES website has been created that allows for community members and other citizens to provide input and ideas, as well as to act as an historical and informative hub for the project.
10. What is the timeline and opportunities for community input proposed for the due diligence period?
