Stroll down the last block of Gallant Avenue before the water’s edge and you’ll come across a pale yellow building with a red steepled window at the front. This is the Deep Cove Cultural Centre.
The unique space is home to four community groups: Deep Cove Heritage Society, First Impressions Theatre, Deep Cove Stage, and the Seymour Art Gallery.
The non-profit public gallery has existed as an organization since 1985, and moved into its current location when the cultural centre opened in 1992. Before that, it occupied an exhibition space in a hallway at Seycove school and filled other spaces when available.
Curator and director Sarah Cavanaugh says the cultural centre is unique and great for the community.
“I know people worked really hard to get the space designed and put up, and all the groups that started it are still in here and going strong,” she notes.
Cavanaugh has been with the gallery for five years, and agrees that Deep Cove is an artistic community.
“There’s definitely a lot happening artistically in this community,” she says. “In this building alone there’s a lot happening artistically, but in many other spaces as well. There are a lot of interesting groups working in and around the cove and well-known artists living here.”
Artists often take their inspiration from nature and Deep Cove is particularly suited to serve as muse.
“Who wouldn’t want to be here? It’s beautiful,” adds Cavanaugh. She believes location is part of the reason the little gallery does so well, welcoming about 25,000 visitors a year.
“For a small little gallery like this those are big numbers,” notes Cavanaugh.
The gallery presents 11 shows a year, most running four weeks with some special exhibitions running for five. The most recent show of Iranian door knockers ended this weekend. The next show will feature an exhibition of oil paintings and sculptural felt-making by two artists who live in the Gulf Islands. The collections throughout the year are diverse by design.
“We’re really trying to bring forward ideas and artwork that we think will interest the community,” says Cavanaugh.
Volunteers help boost the small staff, and Cavanaugh easily recites the numbers: Last year 80 volunteers gave 3,743 hours of their time. She says community support, including that from volunteers (they are always looking for more) is key to the operation.
“We couldn’t do what we do without them,” she adds.
When talking about the gallery, it’s clear Cavanaugh is proud of the work being done there.
“I may be a little biased but I think it’s an absolute gem,” she says.
