The county and the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre are parting ways after three decades of a partnership.
The county announced a one-time grant to support the centre’s community initiatives that will celebrate its 30-year partnership with the centre. It is $250,000.
The decision was made after a closed session at the county council meeting on Jan. 24 and was prompted by the centre’s strategic planning process and subsequent investigation of a new governance model. The county decided to retire from its association with the centre after making a contribution of a final commitment to community programing.
County chief administrative officer Scott Wilson said in an interview the timing appeared to be right to sever the ties created long ago.
Wellington County was one of the original four sponsoring partners of the centre along with the University of Guelph, City of Guelph, and the Upper Grand District School Board when centre was established in 1978 through a provincial act.
“We’ve been supporting them from the start,” Wilson said. “Every year they make a request to continue our support.”
But Wilson said a few years ago the centre began looking at its structure and governance model and Wilson said councillors decided it was also time for the county to consider its affiliation.
“We’re a minor player,” he said, noting that while the county has a representative on the centre’s board, that involvement was mostly financial.
Plus, he said, “The county’s needs are being addressed at the archives and museum. Things change over time.”
Wilson said the county grant of $250,000 is equivalent to ten years of county funding, and that will enable the board to decide if the centre spends it on programs or capital costs. He noted a report a few years ago indicated the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre needs about $2 million worth of work.
Centre officials indicated it will be used for programs.
“This funding directly supports annual community events such as Family Day and Culture Days, which are fully accessible and free to the public,” said director and curator Judith Nasby in a press release by the county.
“It will also ensure that the MSAC continues to be able to develop specialized education programs for school and community groups … We are grateful to the county for their loyal support.”
Aidan Ware, the Macdonald Stewart Arts Centre coordinator of education and development said the county’s action was a good one.
“It’s a totally friendly thing,” she said of the separation.
She said the board has been in the process of negotiating with all of its original sponsors in order to find a new governance model. “For us, it’s a very positive thing.”
She also thanked the county for its grant of $250,000, and noted that in some cases, sponsors want a larger role at the centre.
“It’s a very amicable, good and strong direction for everyone,” Ware said.
Wilson said because the centre was created by a provincial act, the county and centre lawyers will be working for a while to legally untangle that relationship. It could take up to two years.
He also noted it is possible that the Guelph centre “had less relevance for the greater county community” over the years.
He said, “The county took the appropriate and gracious step to terminate” the relationship the way it did.
It will place $250,000 in a special fund held by the county’s solicitor for use by the centre until the arrangements for the new governance model are complete.
“The county knows that the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre will continue to fulfill its integral role in the community and to achieve new programmes for the community,” said county Warden Chris White. “The funding that the County of Wellington has agreed to give [the centre] provides fundamental support to achieve this vision.”
