10:27 a.m.
For any interest you may have in whatever possibilities this centre offers to you
or other artistic friends.
Jim Roy
Ottawa Blues, Jazz & Swing Guide
Phone: (613) 829-3725 www.ottawabluesjazz.ca
For immediate release:
June 21, 2010
Shenkman Arts Centre Marks A Successful First Year
Over 100,000 Visitors, 300 Courses Offered and 100 Shows
Ottawa - Since its official opening last June, the excitement and success continues to
grow for the Shenkman Arts Centre. The arts community and public, both Anglophone and
Francophone, have embraced the Centre as their own showing impressive attendance totalling
over 100,000 visitors. The state-of-the-art facility and resident arts partners have been
bustling with activity providing a new spectacular venue for events and meetings,
professional rehearsal spaces, high quality instruction, a variety of performances,
engaging exhibits and conducting behind the scenes tours.
Overall, all projections have been surpassed. It is evident by the participation and
engagement of the community that the need for this beautiful arts centre in Orléans was
long overdue. The community registered for over 300 courses and workshops covering a
multitude of artistic disciplines such as theatre, dance, music, pottery, painting,
woodworking and photography.
Students of all ages were offered some of the best instruction in town with many of the
courses being offered in French by the City of Ottawa, Ottawa School of Art - Orléans
Campus, Gloucester Pottery School and Orléans Young Players Theatre School.
"Visitors are wowed by the aesthetics of the facility but once they come inside for a
tour, take a course or see a show they are surprised to see the range of activities and
the quality of service delivered," says Caroline Obeid, Shenkman Arts Centre Manager.
"We can boast 421 client activities over the past year as the Centre was booked by
local artists and arts organizations to create or present their work as well as the
corporate community, community organizations, school boards, and private citizens for
fundraising, press announcements, meetings, presentations, conferences and
receptions."
Recognized as one of Ottawa's best acoustic venues, the Shenkman Arts Centre has
presented 100 incredible performances (to both English and French audiences with a line up
of shows like Sean Cullen, Sarah Slean, Les Violons du Roy, Marie Mai, The English Beat,
Les Lost Fingers to name but a few. Public signed up in great numbers to become members of
Front and Centre or MIFO to get advanced purchasing opportunities for the first and best
selection of seats.
Visual art flourished at the Shenkman Arts Centre in the Ottawa School of Art studios and
workshops as well as in five art galleries (Gloucester Pottery School Dust Evans Gallery,
Trinity Art Gallery, Promenade Arteast, Ottawa School of Art Gallery and AOE Gallery).
Visitors were able to see work from international to local and student to professional
artists, with all genres on display and for sale. A total of 500 artists to date have
exhibited their works within the Centre creating an ever changing and engaging
environment.
In May, a magnificent donor recognition wall was unveiled in the lobby of the Centre to
showcase the community support for the ARTicipate Endowment Fund. The fund was developed
by AOE Arts Council to support artists in the creation and presentation of their works
within the Centre. The fund has raised over $4.7M and will begin grant allocations to the
arts community in the Fall.
Recently, the Shenkman Arts Centre was home to the inaugural Orléans Festival held on June
6th 2010 with over 2,000 participants. The Festival celebrated the work of local artists,
artisans and chefs with the second annual Taste of Orléans event, hosted by the Orléans
BIA, incorporated into the festival. Ten of the community's restaurants served up
samples of their favorite menu items and festival goers were treated to free performances
by BAM Percussion, Les Affreux Lurons, Steve Marriner and Cobra du Mandique.
The Centre will soon welcome summer camp kids ages 6 to 18 who will be able to immerse
themselves in the arts from June 28 to September 3. All camps are taught by professional
artists-instructors in purpose-built studios. Families can choose from a variety of themed
or intense camp experiences offered by the City of Ottawa, Gloucester Pottery School,
Ottawa School of Art, Orleans Young Players Theatre School and MIFO. For more information
about registration contact Guest Services at 613-580-2787 or go to www.shenkmanarts.ca
- 30 -
About the Shenkman Arts Centre and Resident Arts Partners
The Shenkman Arts Centre provides the much-needed spaces for performing arts presentations
and visual art exhibitions, specialized spaces for hands-on instruction in the visual,
performing, literary and media arts for all ages and levels, and unique reception spaces
in the upper and lower lobbies. The Centre houses the Harold Shenkman Hall (500 seats),
the Richcraft Theatre (150 seats), Trinity Art Gallery, Gloucester Pottery School Dust
Evans Gallery, Promenade Arteast, Ottawa School of Art Gallery, AOE Gallery, Ottawa
Citizen Dance Studio, Orléans Star - L'Express Music Studio and a New Media studio.
The programs and activities at the Shenkman Arts Centre are a unique collaboration between
the City of Ottawa and Resident Arts Partners: AOE Arts Council, Gloucester Pottery
School, MIFO (Mouvement d'implication francophone d'Orléans), Ottawa School of Art
- Orléans Campus, Orleans Young Players Theatre School. The Centre also houses the
Ottawa-Gatineau Film and Television Development Corporation and Tara Luz Danse.
For more information:
Caroline Obeid
Portfolio Manager
Shenkman Arts Centre
613-5890-2424 ext. 24387
Caroline.Obeid(a)ottawa.ca
www.shenkmanarts.ca