Mission & Objectives
Staff + Board Members
Hours
The Khyber is a non-profit, artist-run centre located in an historic, three-story building in downtown Halifax. The centre presents contemporary art exhibitions, artist lectures, panel discussions, performances and offers art classes to youth.
The Khyber gratefully acknowledges operating assistance from The Canada Council for the Arts and the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture, and of course the ongoing support of its membership and patrons.
This site is meant to bring you news, reviews, and all manner of pertinent info about happenings at the Khyber. Check back often!
MISSON STATEMENT
To foster critical thought in society by operating an artist-run centre that presents non-commercial contemporary art exhibits and facilitates dialogue, social interaction and information exchange for professional and emerging artists and interested members of the general public. Programming activities will be challenging, artistically rigorous, interdisciplinary and responsive to the needs of Khyber users.
OBJECTIVES
Housed in the historic Church of England Institute Building which dates to 1888 (now called the Khyber Building), the centre's objectives combine its interests in the contemporary arts with preservation of the building.
The Khyber's goals are:
1
To provide rigorous contemporary arts programming. Our overall priority is to present contemporary visual art in all disciplines. This we define as art which may be inherently explorative in nature, examining formal and conceptual concerns by innovative or experimental means. To be an artist-run centre is to act as a laboratory of ideas - where controversial and distinctive ideas may be presented alongside traditional or mainstream ideas to prompt new ways of thinking. Work selected must demonstrate a high quality and concern for formal and conceptual issues in contemporary art and range from that of nationally recognized artists to recent art school graduates.
2
To exist as a site for the growth and development of emerging artists.
The second goal is to exist as a site for the cultivation of an emerging
artist scene in Halifax. This involves providing opportunities for artistic
projects by emerging artists and also responding to the specific needs
of emerging artists which include broadening ties with the greater arts
community and accumulating survival skills relating to life as an artist.
This has been a much needed venue in Halifax, where support for new artists
is minimal. The Khyber not only provides opportunities for presenting
work, but has acted as a focal point for this community and has provided
many new art school graduates with short-term employment and a place to
develop various skills.
3
To provide for the restoration of the building. Our third goal is a long-term restoration plan established collaboratively with our landlord, the Halifax Regional Municipality, to restore and preserve the Church of England Institute Building in which we are housed. It is a highly decorative Victorian composition in the ornate Gothic style, and exists as one of the few historically significant buildings in downtown Halifax. In this way, we have been able to procur municipal support, which historically has been negligible in Halifax, for a contemporary art centre. Our interest in restoring the building stems from the fact that it is one of the most visually prominent and well-loved buildings in downtown Halifax and attracts an extremely varied audience. This goal has also solidified our relationship with the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.
STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS
STAFF
Artistic Director | Brian MacNevin
Assistant Director | Krista Davis
Gallery Assistants | Will Robinson, Martine Robicheau
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Erica Butler | Chair
Jeffrey Parker | Treasurer
Francesca Tallone | Alternative Spaces Coordinator
Lisa Liznick | Education Coordinator
Emily Jones
David Hayden
Melanie Colosimo
Bruce Barber
Jamie MacLellan
Office:
· Tuesday - Saturday | Noon - 5:00 p.m.
Galleries:
· Tuesday - Saturday | Noon - 5:00 p.m.
