Huntsville Art Society.ca

The Huntsville Art Society, Inc. (“HAS”) has established The Art Space (“TAS”) with hopes that it will lead to the development of a public art gallery in Huntsville.

HAS manages the use of TAS by HAS members, resident artists, groups, and exhibitions, performances and events of interest to the local community.

TAS is a service of the HAS.   It abides by the policies approved by the HAS’s Board of Directors.

TAS’s Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values are set and approved by the HAS’s Board of Directors as set out in TAS’s Charter.

The three Co-Chairs of the TAS Committee oversee (1) Exhibitions, (2) Programming and (3) the Pursuit of a Public Art Gallery, as outlined in section 5.01 of the HAS By-laws.

Mission

TAS will exist to enrich local and regional culture by (1) providing a showcasing forum for local and national artists, (2) providing continuous exposure to the visual arts and (3) encouraging community involvement through outreach, education and service.

TAS will aim to educate Huntsville and area residents, its government, and its visitors in the need for a public art gallery.

The TAS Exhibition Program supports this mission by:

• Providing a diversity of themes and media in the exhibitions presented 
• Attracting a wide range of audiences 
• Encouraging both experienced and emerging artists to exhibit their work 
• Providing display opportunities for children and youth 
• Delivering exhibitions on schedule and within budget 

The Art Space will promote public interest in the Arts and its discourses by:

• Presenting public programming such as lectures, screenings, workshops, seminars, colloquia, etc.
• Providing adult, teen and children’s art education
• Encouraging those engaged in art practices by providing a venue for research, presentation, consideration, interpretation and dissemination of art and education/information relating to the arts.

As time permits, it will be available for rental to HAS and non-HAS activities/events.   Refer to the Rental Agreement Policy for rates, procedures and policy.

TAS is a central office where HAS and its committees will meet, keep its records, make and answer phone calls and emails, and perform many of its office and financial duties.

Exhibitions

General

The Art Space Committee is responsible for appointing a coordinator of each exhibition.  Each coordinator is ultimately responsible for all aspects of their particular exhibition, although they may assign various tasks to assistants, who may be members of the TAS Committee or other volunteers.  The coordinator will report to The Art Space Committee before, during, and after each exhibition, keeping communication open and transparent.  (Refer to the Exhibition Policy and Procedures in the Appendix.)

Selection and Scheduling of Exhibits

Details of the each exhibition including theme, process, duration, advertising needs and budget will be reported by the coordinator to the TAS Committee.  Each exhibition must be approved by a majority of the three TAS Co-Chairs.  In turn, the Co-Chairs will report to the Board of Directors.

Docents

HAS acknowledges that docents are the backbone of all our activities and events – without our docents, we would not have come as far as we have.

Programming 

Mission

Programming will serve to bring quality activity to The Art Space and work toward establishing The Art Space as a self sustained entity within HAS.  Programming will seek to encourage  members of HAS as well as members of the community at large to view The Art Space as a hub of creative experiences by offering a wide range of activities to participate in or to facilitate by:

• Increasing public awareness of The Art Space by working in collaboration existing organizations such as the Huntsville Public Library and various theatre groups
• Increasing public interest in the Gallery and its exhibiting artists by providing educational and informative seminars on related topics
• Providing opportunities to our members and emerging artists by offering the opportunity to facilitate seminars and workshops
• Fostering an atmosphere where the process of art making is equally important to the final product 

          "Art is about meaning making not thing making" -- Arlene Laskey, visual artist, Ontario

• Providing a gathering place for sharing and mentoring
• Providing quality workshops from local as well as out of region artists in a wide range of media

Public Art Gallery Pursuit 

Mission

To recognize and celebrate each individual’s inherent creative potential by providing the space and opportunities to experience the Arts, be engaged by educational resources, and to participate in the spirit of congeniality by:

• Maintaining involvement with prior partnerships
• Encouraging active dialogue with the Town of Huntsville and the Township of Lake of Bays
• Participate within the framework of the recently adopted “Cultural Strategy” document (TCI Dec. 2010)
• Establish new partnerships and mentorships
• Be a vocal advocate for the establishment of a fully functioning Public Art Gallery