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Terry Pamplin, left, Aidan Cartwright, Jen Walden and Rae Braden work on a collaborative piece for the Borderless Art Movement, an organization that sometimes hosts educational art workshops in the city. Talk of a Yellowknife art school is generating political attention as Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley brings the idea into the public arena. - NNSL file photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Some voices in Yellowknife are calling for a local art school to keep talent from running south and to help build the art industry in the NWT capital.

"We talk about it all the time in the arts community," said Travis Mercredi, a director on the board for the Yellowknife Artist Run Community Centre. "Having something like that really centres the community, and you can see stuff build around it."

Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley is the most recent voice to take the idea public, stating he's been hearing about a need for the school from his constituents and members of the arts community. He said Yellowknife would likely be a good spot for such an institution, the benefits of which would affect the whole territory.

"I've heard it from a lot of artists over the years, and I've known the odd artist from here who has gone to a fine arts school," Bromley said. "There appears to be so much benefit from art school, both in terms of economic development and diversification of the economy, but also there are many local benefits. It draws on local talent and local resources."

Bromley said he is interested in having a political advocacy role in the project, but hopes to see others get involved and help a prospective art school take shape.

Both Bromley and Mercredi referenced the success of the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, located in Dawson City, Yukon, a town with fewer than 1,500 residents.

"I think we're very well capable of pulling it off," said Mercredi.

With the skills already present in Yellowknife, securing funding would be key, he said.

He added that large projects, such as the potential school, are how tangible and impressive results are generated, and these results are what really benefit a community.

"You get the sense that, sometimes, there isn't much funding going into the arts because the arts isn't giving back, and this is something we're always kind of up against," Mercredi said.

"There is only so much funding, and everybody realizes that. But there isn't enough funding (in the arts) to create these big projects that end up building critical mass."

Bromley said he's been getting phone calls and e-mails from Yellowknifers in support of the idea.

His expectation is that the art school would start as a summer program or a one-year pilot program.

Mercredi described a similar starting point, suggesting Yellowknife look at one or a few foundational art courses, possibly offered through Yellowknife high schools or Aurora College.

At this point, Bromley's goal is to pull those interested in the school together to see what resources are available and generate ideas on how the school could become a reality, he said.

After that, the conversation will likely turn to dollars and cents.

"You can't do much without resources these days," he said.

"To get that, you would need political will because this is typically a government responsibility."

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