The City of Victoria decided to approve a $100,000 grant to The Other Guise Theatre Company without conditions this week (Jan. 23), which the company says will supports the creation of a new performing arts hub on Johnson Street.
Artistic and executive director Matthew Payne’s vision for the former site of Tomley’s Market (716 Johnson) involves three stages and two studios, which would require serious renovations. Payne is hoping to immediately work to get the hub open for activities in a “bare bones state,” aiming to do so before the end of March.
Payne said the funding from the city was also matched by an anonymous doner since the grant was approved. company pay down the existing mortgages it has and allow for longevity of the project.
The grant application from The Other Guise was originally for $250,000, but Victoria council failed on a tie to approve the funding.
Payne noted that earlier vote was called with six members of council at the table. When potential funding for The Other Guise was back on the docket yesterday, the motion at issue was initially for a $125,000 grant.
“The significant change with yesterday’s discussion is councillor Coleman and mayor Alto were back at the table,” he said, noting it was Coleman’s idea to make the change to $100,000 of unconditional funding.
Payne also shared some context about why his project needed to look beyond private investors. He said an investor, who contributed $1.8 million, left Victoria to find healthcare in June of 2023 and is "doing their darndest to give us time to buy out the two mortgages we have with them."
Payne said the company has paid back $550,000 to date, and the city’s grant will help his team continue to ease that investor out of the project.
“If we are artists that own our own place, that control our own destiny, there is only one other arts organization downtown that is in that same position and that’s Open Space” he said.
Ultimately, Payne wants to create a place for artists who are not lucky or wealthy enough to jump straight into accessing more prestigious venues.
“There is documented need for arts spaces. Right now 69 per cent of artists in the capitol region cannot find appropriate rehearsal or performance space. We need three smaller performance spaces that will be stepping stones for artists.”
Payne was on CFAX 1070 with Al Ferraby this morning: