Halifax • 2024-10-30 • Wayves staff
At a press conference on the second floor of the Turret Building, The Turret Arts Space Society announced a chunk of current funding and plans to raise a further $18.5 million to have the space ready for renovation -- "adaptive re-use" -- starting in the fall of 2025.
Half of that oney will be secured from multiple levels of government; the other fundraised from private citizens.
The initiative aims to preserve and revitalize the iconic space, ensuring that it survives and thrives.
The reimagined Turret Arts Space will become a dynamic, inclusive hub where youth, artists, and the broader public can connect and flourish in a space designed to be physically, economically, and culturally accessible. The revitalized building will feature distinct four floors, each serving a unique purpose. A cornerstone of the project is the Artist Residency Program, which will occupy the entire fourth floor and serve as a creative incubator. The space already has two community anchor tenants: The Khyber Centre for the Arts, which will be coming home to the building, and Leave Out Violence Nova Scotia (LOVE), both of which are dedicated to serving Halifax's 2SLGBTQIA+ community, among other important core mandates.
The name of the Turret is coming alive again in downtown Halifax — Robin Metcalfe
The Turret Arts Space is poised to make history by aiming to create the first designated Queer Heritage Site in Canada. Housed in the 130-year-old building, the space was once home to the legendary Turret Club from 1976 to 1982. Operated by the Gay Alliance for Equality (GAE), the club was run by-and-for the queer community at a time when queer patrons were often excluded from Halifax's social venues, and the GAE redirected some of the profits to fund their activated human rights work across Canada. Despite its national significance, the Turret's pivotal role in 2SLGBTQIA+ history remains unrecognized by any public or site-specific commemoration.
If the project gets the funding and moves forward in early 2025, the site could be ready for the national conference, "Pride 2027" — set to be hosted in Halifax.
[editor: links are below. Rght: architect's drawing of future roof of the building; click to zoom.]
Members of the Turret Arts Space Society board and community members highlighted the urgent need for expanded arts, cultural, and social spaces. Here are some quotes:
Emily Davidson, past President of the Turret Arts Space Society: "Cities need art. The Turret Arts Space is a keystone to creating a city that resonates with the people who live here."
Sobaz Benjamin, current president of the Turret Arts Space Society: “For me, the Turret Art Space is a Hub of intersection. As a young man, I internalized a lot of oppression and had nowhere to turn in order to heal. The Turret Art Space can offer a new generation a location of creativity and healing.”
I danced upstairs at the Turret; our people are still there. Let’s keep the music going for them, let's keep them dancing. — Debra Paris Perry
Brian White, VP of Destination Development at Discover Halifax: “At Discover Halifax, we are committed to enhancing demand generators for arts, entertainment, and heritage conservation. Projects like the Turret Arts Space play an integral role in advancing these goals. By fostering creativity and providing spaces for diverse communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, to celebrate their identities and heritage, this initiative contributes to Halifax’s tourism landscape.”
Paul MacKinnon, Chief Executive Officer of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission: “The heart of our city and province is Downtown Halifax, and the heart of downtown is Barrington Street. One of the keys to fulfilling our vision of a vibrant downtown is a thriving arts and culture scene that is accessible and diverse. Turret Arts Space, and their vision for the Khyber Building, at 1588 Barrington Street, is absolutely an important piece of this vision.”
Dennis Adams, Executive Director “Chief Harmony Officer,” LOVE Nova Scotia: “The arts are important to me because it connects my creative side and my religion. This space is a game changer for LOVE. We believe in full expression, and at LOVE, we believe in all of the perfect and imperfect perfections that come with it. Art brings all people of every identity together, and through it, we can find a commonality and truth through art. At LOVE, we work with all youth. This new space will be a multi-ethnic space from new Canadians, to Indigenous, African Canadians, the LGBTQ+ community and all other marginalized groups and communities. This space matters because everyone deserves a brave / non-judgemental space to express themselves in their opinions, attitudes, and ideas.”
Excel Garay, Co-Director of the Khyber Centre for the Arts: “It’s wonderful to see so much unified work done so that the Khyber returns to its original home. It’s a dream to continue maintaining the Khyber space together with my fellow Co-Director, Hannah Guinan, for many experimental works to flourish and exist outside of logical protocols. It’s important to maintain an artistic space that allows imaginaries, untold stories, and works that exist between desire and surprise. The formation of an artistic and community hub in the heart of downtown through Turret Arts Space means so many more can access such a life-enriching reflective space.”
To date, the Turret Arts Space Society has secured $1M in funding for the design, planning, and preliminary abatement of hazardous materials, including $300,000, generously funded by Canadian Heritage. Past funders include Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Community Business Development Corporation, Halifax Regional Municipality, and Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage.
To learn more about the Turret Arts Space campaign and to show your support, visit www.turretartsspace.ca or follow us on Facebook.
Further links:
- Pride 2027 in Halifax
- LOVE Nova Scotia
- In the Halifax Rainbow Encyclopedia: GAE / GALA; The Turret; and a history of the building itself.
- Here's a video walk through, done today.
