Check out the neighbourhood!

We have been seeing a dramatic increase in the number of out-of-towners coming to see the gallery. Often people will drive down from Toronto for the day but we are also seeing people from Europe and all over North America. If you are considering making a trip to see th egallery maybe you'll also be interested in seeing some of my neighbours. The Innuit Gallery, now in their 26th year, is just around the corner. A great gallery still run by the original owners it is a pleasure to drop in and see their selection Currently they have a wonderful selection of wall hangings that is not to be missed. A gallery that  has been around so long that they still use the original spelling of Innuit with two n's! So often people interested in art are also interested in books and a few doors away is Attic Books, probably Ontario's largest antiquarian bookstore located in a wonderful period building. Three floors to tempt any bibliophile. For the Ian Fleming fan they have just acquired a first edition that uses the now-famous phrase 'shaken not stirred' for the first time. Anyone planning to stay over can contact me and get my code for the lovely London Delta Armouries and you'll receive a special rate. London has many wonderful restaurants but you can't beat cheap and cheerful at Scot's Corner for a good home cooked meal and a choice of 26 beers on tap. So when you come to London be prepared to do a few things. It's a nice place, you'll enjoy it....it is often thought of as Halifax without the water!

Cultural Planning for Creative Communities

As a change of pace this coming Thursday April 2nd we are having a book signing at the gallery. Gord Hume, the author and local politician, will be on hand to autograph copies of his book titled "Cultural Planning for Creative Communities". Glen Murray, former Winnipeg mayor and present head of the Canadian Urban Institute, wrote the forward.  Glen has an international reputation for being in the forefront of promoting innovative civic programs.  Noteworthy Cultural Planning advocates and practitioners who have contributed their expertise to this book include:

Greg Baeker. principal of Authenticity in Toronto and an acknowledged expert in cultural mapping.

Tim Jones. head of Artscape, an innovator in creative community projects

Nancy Duxbury, former director of the Creative City Network of Canada. Nancy is presently the executive director of the Centre for expertise on Culture and Communities.  Ms. Duxbury is also an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.

Cultural Planning for Creative Communities offers a proven insider's look at forming roundtables and community action groups for cultural planning.  It details cultural mapping and outlines the process local governments can take to implement municipal cultural planning.

I strongly belive in creative city initiatives and am pleased to provide a venue and an opportunity to further awareness of cultural planning and its place in our communities.

Christmas Window Contest

The downtown windows are dressed up for the holidays! Vote for your favourite holiday window online between November 15th and November 30th and you could win $100 downtown dollars! Vote for Jonathons Here