The lobby of the new arts centre seen before sunrise, October 11, 2023. 

The fencing and hoardings are in place for the installation of the new facade.

The Ontario Street side of the facade.   The sidewalk is blocked for construction.

If you have paged through this site, you may have landed on our organizational mission.  Comprised of four-parts, the mission has not changed since we were incorporated in 2009. We continue to challenge ourselves to:

• Provide a strong voice for arts and culture in the City of Elliot Lake;​
• Facilitate collaboration between artists, organizations, business and government;
• Support the economic well-being of the community;
• Contribute to the quality of life in Elliot Lake.

A recent development on the Elliot Lake Arts scene is the purchase of the former United Church by the City. I'll admit had ARIEL the wherewithal we would have purchased the property for a performance venue. Our membership is comprised of visual artists, thespians, and musicians.  The Art Gallery we are developing will service only one of our audiences, as it is too small to be a flexible space.

ARIEL was not the only group interested in the future of that former church.  Every choir, acting troupe and dance group wanted that building.  There was one City department, however, that was as eager as the rest of us to acquire that space - Recreation and Culture.  When the former arts centre closed, due to the collapse of the roof, Elliot Lake also lost its museum.

ARIEL supports whole-heartedly the plan to re-establish our heritage museum in the new purchase.  That said, we wonder if it is possible to do more with the building than house the museum. Could it become a flexible space that would allow performances too?

So the Board of Directors of ARIEL, inspired by its mission, is hosting an Arts Summit, October 22, 2023 at Collins Hall from 1 to 5 PM.  We are inviting all stakeholders to bring their best ideas, questions and concerns to the event.  What we share will be captured.  ARIEL will write a report based on the information gleaned and present it to the Department of Recreation and Culture for consideration.

The City has not asked us to do this.  The meeting is not authorized by the City.  However, the City owns the building now.  So if there is to be a dialogue about the building and its use, the City must be included.

You don't have to be a member of ARIEL to participate.  You just have to have a passion for the arts scene in our City.  The event is free to all.  Please RSVP because that will aid us to plan an effective event. ARIEL ARTS SUMMIT (mailchi.mp)
​

How the arts contributes to a strong economy
3.3% of Ontario's GDP is generated by the Arts, that is a whopping $27.5 billion, with a b, annually. 4.1% of the work force of Ontario is employed by the culture sector or 288,306 people.

How the arts contributes to community revitalization
A 2010 survey of 18 mid-sized communities in Ontario discovered that ALL of them used their Arts and Culture infrastructure to revitalize the downtown. 83% said it worked!

How the arts attracts and retain employees to communities
To attract more easily top talent to a community, say 65% of Ontario business leaders, a community needs a thriving arts and culture scene.

Skilled workers, 65% of them, agreed, according to the OAC.  It is a criteria for moving to a new community, they said.

​