The WKP Kennedy Gallery at North Bay\u2019s Capitol Centre is reopening to the public tonight, Oct. 8, with a free grand opening gala running from 6 to 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
The WKP Keedy Gallery is entering a new era, and everyone is invited to the grand opening taking place this evening, October 8, from 6 to 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
The opening gala celebrates a redesign of the gallery space, a project which has been underway since July. After all that work, the new gallery is open again, and attendees can enjoy an exhibit of pieces from the gallery\u2019s permanent collection.<\/p>\n
This morning, within the front foyer of the Capitol Centre, many gathered to announce tonight\u2019s grand opening. Art supporters, community members, and local dignitaries came out to offer congratulations, give some speeches, and cut the ribbon to open the space.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a really big moment for the Capitol Centre and the WKP Kennedy Gallery,\u201d enthused Katina Connolly, the Capitol Centre\u2019s executive director. \u201cIt\u2019s been a process, but we\u2019re very happy with where we\u2019ve come today.\u201d<\/p>\n
She mentioned plans have been underway since around 2021, and Capitol Centre staff began applying for grants in 2024. Federal and provincial funding covered 90 per cent of the renovation costs, \u201cso when we say we could not have done this without government support, it is no exaggeration.\u201d<\/p>\n
The federal government, through the Department of Canadian Heritage, provided just over $170,00 for the project, with the province contributing just under $424,000.<\/p>\n
Stu Campaigne, speaking on behalf of Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Pauline Rochefort, said, \u201cThe WKP Kennedy Gallery is one of North Bay\u2019s most important cultural spaces, [\u2026] and that is why investments in spaces like this matter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe renovations that have been done here are improving the gallery\u2019s accessibility, functionality, and flexibility,\u201d Campaigne continued. \u201cThey have created a more welcoming space for visitors, strengthened exhibition facilities, and improved access to the gallery\u2019s permanent collection. This project is an investment in artists, audiences, and the future of arts and culture in our region.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexa Bouchard, speaking on behalf of Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, congratulated everyone on the opening of the new space and talked about the importance of arts and culture to the economy. \u201cOntario is proud to have invested in the gallery\u2019s renovation through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. Art galleries in Ontario help build vibrant communities by promoting local talent and spurring economic growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallery director and curator, Jennifer Allison, was thrilled to be opening the doors to the new space. \u201cWe\u2019re incredibly excited to welcome our community back to the WKP Kennedy Gallery and begin filling this beautiful space with art, exhibitions, and creative programming once again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tonight, you can enjoy the newly designed gallery for yourself, beginning at 6 p.m. Pieces from the gallery\u2019s permanent collection will be on display for the gala, and complimentary hors d\u2019oeuvres will be provided courtesy of The Block Public House. A cash bar will be open as well. Admission is free.<\/p>\n
The WKP Gallery is located within the Capitol Centre, located at 150 Main Street East, North Bay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The WKP Kennedy Gallery at North Bay\u2019s Capitol Centre is reopening to the public tonight, Oct. 8, with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":624868,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,501,156,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-624867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=624867"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624867\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/624868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=624867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=624867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=624867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}