The Town of Smithers has decided not to renew the Smithers Art Gallery's lease on programming space on Railway Avenue called the Creation Station.
The art gallery has been using the space since 2017. Gallery manager Nicole Chernish said visual arts programming has grown by 375 per cent since they began leasing the space.
"In 2017, before we had Creation Station, we offered only two kids’ camps and no after-school or other youth programs. Fast forward to 2024, and we have expanded to 13 after-school and weekend programs, two spring break camps, and 14 summer camp sessions," she wrote in an email.
"Our adult programs have also grown significantly from 10 programs in 2017 to 28 in 2024. Seven of these programs had waiting lists, underscoring the strong demand for visual arts education."
Chernish added there have been 57 visual arts programs at Creation Station in 2024, reaching more than 400 participants. Many of these programs run over multiple days, equating to 140 programming days and 330 hours of instruction.
"At present, there is no viable alternative location for visual arts education programming in Smithers. While the Town has offered a short-term lease until August 31, 2025, we are deeply concerned about the long-term future of these programs without Creation Station," she said.
The town's Engagement and Communciations Officer Sam LeBlanc said the Town is transitioning the Creation Station space for town office use.
"The Town presently has a critical shortage of space for employees, and meeting space. The initial intention is to house the Community Safety Office in this location, as it provides better accessibility for nearby community needs such as the [homeless] encampment area," she explained. Currently we rent an office for the Community Safety team on First Avenue and moving them to this location will help streamline our operations and increase service accessibility,"
LeBlanc added the Town will work alongside the art gallery to explore potential alternative options.
