Artist-community hub in development for Edmonton’s Alberta Avenue neighbourhood

A planned, multi-million dollar artist-community hub in Edmonton’s Alberta Avenue neighbourhood has local artists excited about what it could mean for themselves and the wider area.

Known as ArtsCommon 118, the facility would serve as a place for 78 artists to live and work, as well as sell their creations. The two buildings, which would straddle either side of 92 Street along 118 Avenue, would also include space for retail outlets, a rooftop garden and an industrial kitchen.

The developer behind the project, the Edmonton Community Development Company (ECDC), is a recently-formed not-for-profit group that runs at arm’s length from the city.

“One of our goals is to have low rents for artists, and low rents for vendors,” said Mark Holmgren, who is executive director of ECDC. “In order to do that, we need capital funding in order to keep rents low.”

A feasibility study estimates the project would cost $43 million, according to Holmgren, and would require government support. The City of Edmonton donated the main parcel of land that would be used, while ECDC purchased smaller lots surrounding it.

Allie Morin, who plays baritone saxophone and is based in Alberta Avenue, said the hub would allow for easier collaboration with her peers.

“It would mean space to be able to collaborate with other artists, to kind of incubate and flourish our ideas together,” Morin said. “It would mean affordable housing — and would be a really fun place to hang out with friends.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It would mean space to be able to collaborate with other artists, to kind of incubate and flourish our ideas together," Morin said. "It would mean affordable housing — and would be a really fun place to hang out with friends."

For Sauvé MacBean, who is a singer and songwriter, the centre would help with networking, which she said can be more difficult after graduating university.

“Once you’re outside of that very concentrated environment, you do have to be very proactive in going out to shows and going out and meeting people and making those connections very intentionally,” MacBean said. “Having a hub would really make a difference for those artists.”

The developer is in talks with the Vancouver-based Sarah McLachlan School of Music about locating an Edmonton campus in the building, Holmgren said, as well as Northlands about running the rooftop garden.

Alberta Avenue has seen a rejuvenation in recent years with events such as Kaleido Festival. According to Holmgren, this project would continue that trend.

ECDC estimates the facility would take 18 months to build once started. It is projected to open in 2021.