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New Art Gallery Showing a Balanced Budget

Friday, 10 February 2012 08:36

The early flow sheet on the Woodstock Art Gallery is a pleasant surprise for city councillors. Budget deliberations continued on Thursday night, with council learning the new Art Gallery's operating expenses are balancing out with new revenues coming in the door. Acting Curator Patricia Deadman says the larger class sizes are paying off. "Class sizes have doubled and tripled in some cases. They've been full. And our numbers will increase, as we had to cancel some summer programs (during the move to the new building), so you'll see a significant increase this coming summer." Revenues are up 55-thousand dollars, while operating expenses are up 60-thousand at the Art Gallery. Woodstock Mayor Pat Sobeski seemed to change his tone on the outlook of the new Gallery. "I think we have a realistic expense line to deal with, and we're also seeing growing revenues. So it's a budget, as far as I'm concerned, is trending in the right direction." However, not all councillors are happy with what the city is now investing on the Cultural side. Councillor Paul Plant still feels the city's cultural assets need to make more money. "Look at what we're spending on culture compared to other areas, and what that comparable service is outside of the community. Stratford supports their Art Gallery with 40-thousand dollars of taxpayer money, that's considerably less that we do. I'm not saying we should be at 40...but I'm saying we have to get that blend between revenue and tax dollars...it has to be more balanced than it is now." New Cultural Director for the city, Karen Houston, made a request for two new part-time staff. A Custodian to split time between the Museum and Art Gallery, and an Installation Officer for putting up and taking down new exhibits at the Art Gallery. Houston says with the Gallery has averaged 70 visitors per day, and there's a lot to clean at the new Gallery. "Lots of glass, lots of chrome, definitely more bathrooms than they've had in the past. These are things that all need more cleaning."

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