Fanshawe in talks to open performing arts centre
Performing arts centre could bring back Fanshawe's now cancelled Theatre Arts Technical Production program
Fanshawe is hoping plans for the construction of a new performing arts centre in the downtown core will bring both the city and college together.
“There's been a lot of talk for the need for us to bring some of our performing arts programs together, and we're limited in the space we have to do that,” said Joy Warkentin, Fanshawe's Vice-President Academic. “We had been exploring the possibly of some sort of hotel and restaurant operations in the core of the city. At that time the city asked to meet with us and they talked about a performing arts centre.”
The idea, which is all it is at this point, has the college moving their theatre arts programs from Galleria London to a larger venue, which would allow the re-inception of the theatre arts technical production program, which has currently been suspended at the college's St. Thomas campus.
The centre, however, will have to be constructed as a multi-purpose venue to accommodate both the city and the college's needs, which not only makes it more expensive, but trickier to design.
“Obviously the city is going to want something different than what Fanshawe needs,” explained Warkentin. “Probably larger performance space than the college would need, and whether or not a partnership is a way to go, we've offered to have some discussion with them about it.”
The estimated building cost, excluding the purchase of land in downtown London, ranges at approximately $55 million for a modern facility with a seating capacity of around 1,200 people. If the two sides were to come to some sort of agreement as to the construction of a theatre, they would then need to figure out how to split the cost. As with anything the college constructs, the funds would come from a collection of government grants, fundraising and college resources.
“I think everybody is willing to explore opportunities at this point,” continued Warkentin. “So it's whether we can bring the aspirations as a city, and the aspirations as Fanshawe together.”
Fanshawe is hoping plans for the construction of a new performing arts centre in the downtown core will bring both the city and college together.
“There's been a lot of talk for the need for us to bring some of our performing arts programs together, and we're limited in the space we have to do that,” said Joy Warkentin, Fanshawe's Vice-President Academic. “We had been exploring the possibly of some sort of hotel and restaurant operations in the core of the city. At that time the city asked to meet with us and they talked about a performing arts centre.”
The idea, which is all it is at this point, has the college moving their theatre arts programs from Galleria London to a larger venue, which would allow the re-inception of the theatre arts technical production program, which has currently been suspended at the college's St. Thomas campus.
The centre, however, will have to be constructed as a multi-purpose venue to accommodate both the city and the college's needs, which not only makes it more expensive, but trickier to design.
“Obviously the city is going to want something different than what Fanshawe needs,” explained Warkentin. “Probably larger performance space than the college would need, and whether or not a partnership is a way to go, we've offered to have some discussion with them about it.”
The estimated building cost, excluding the purchase of land in downtown London, ranges at approximately $55 million for a modern facility with a seating capacity of around 1,200 people. If the two sides were to come to some sort of agreement as to the construction of a theatre, they would then need to figure out how to split the cost. As with anything the college constructs, the funds would come from a collection of government grants, fundraising and college resources.
“I think everybody is willing to explore opportunities at this point,” continued Warkentin. “So it's whether we can bring the aspirations as a city, and the aspirations as Fanshawe together.”
