What can I give?
Written by Ian McKechnie
“What can I give him?” is a question repeated in the final lines of Christina Rosetti’s famous Christmas carol, In the Bleak Midwinter. And it is a question asked – albeit in a very different kind of context – by those who care about the arts in their community. As we approach the festive season, the question “what can I give?” takes on special meaning and invites us to consider what giving has meant for the Kawartha Art Gallery over the past half century.
The Gallery’s archives are replete with examples – and perhaps the best place to start is with a piece of correspondence dating back to the first few months of the organization’s existence. On June 17, 1976, J.D. Moore, a director of the newly-established Lindsay Gallery, circulated a memo to his fellow directors about a proposed letter – one of many letters that would be mailed out over the next several years with the return address of 8 Victoria Avenue North.
That Moore’s memo (which was written on Royal Bank of Canada stationery) stated that the letter in question would be addressed to “Industry and Commercial establishments” reminds us that large factories still had a commanding presence in the local economy. They were thus a natural choice for organizations looking for sponsorship. The benefits would be mutual, as the letter makes clear: “There is no question as to the Gallery’s value as a boost to the Tourist Industry and its potential for increasing activity in other areas of the region’s economy.” It then went on to quote from Dennis Sweeting, guiding light of Kawartha Summer Theatre, who said much the same thing at the Gallery’s official opening not long before. In fact, Sweeting declared, cultural institutions draw businesses to the community more so than new sewers.
Hyperbole? Perhaps. But the implication was clear: give to the Gallery and you are in fact giving back to your community in ways that transcend even a small red-brick structure on Victoria Avenue North. You are supporting the social health of your friends and neighbours. You are supporting efforts to cultivate changed hearts and open minds through the arts.
Although the solicitation of financial support is the primary focus of this letter’s appeal, it also hints at other ways people could give.
Volunteerism is highlighted as one such way. “Volunteers from the Kawartha Arts & Crafts Association have given freely of their time and talents to bring the Gallery into being,” the letter reminded its readers, alluding to the organization that laid the foundations for what they were now being called upon to support. And it’s a tradition that remains as true now as it was then; for the entire duration of its existence, the Gallery has been blessed with dedicated volunteers who have given their time to serving as board members, committee members, and docents.
“Moral support!” That was another way people were encouraged to support the Gallery. Encouragement, in fact, is a great word for it. It could mean something as simple as composing a letter to the editor, which Little Britain’s Marion Laroque did in 1992, when the Gallery was facing one of its periodic financial low points. “This is a public gallery, not a commercial venture, and as such, should be supported by the public, business and governments,” she stated unequivocally in a letter to the Lindsay Daily Post. “I will support a pledge campaign and invite all who have been involved in the past to join me in keeping the Lindsay Gallery open to the public,” Mrs. Laroque continued. Editorials in the Post echoed these sentiments, and urged municipal decision-makers to prioritize the arts. Simply encouraging one’s fellow citizens through writing or word-of-mouth was (and remains) an important means of moral support.
“Your physical presence at the exhibitions!” The gift of presence has always been a key part of the Gallery’s story over the years. To show up and support the work of artists is a simple gesture, but one that speaks volumes – particularly for young and emerging artists.
One of the most touching examples of giving the gift of one’s presence occurred in 1979, when the Gallery was still very much in its infancy. A.J. Casson, famed for his work with the Group of Seven, paid a visit to the Ethel Flavelle Gallery for a reception in his honour. That a high-profile artist such as Casson should visit this fledgling organization reaffirmed among Gallery staff and volunteers that the work they were doing mattered. “The worst thing that can happen to an artist is to be accepted and ignored,” Casson told the Lindsay Daily Post at the time. He was speaking of his experience in the Group of Seven, which took him under their wing in 1926, but his observations ring true when considering the gift of presence and its impact.
Giving has been at its most visible through donations of artwork. Nellie King, a retired teacher from L.C.V.I., donated a number of paintings to the Gallery during those early years – all without fanfare. In a letter to the Gallery’s director at the time (1978), Miss King made it clear that she abhorred publicity, and wanted only to see the Gallery thrive as a cultural locus in the community. “Best wishes for the success of your wonderful undertaking of establishing a real gallery, my long-time hope for Lindsay,” she wrote.
Whether it be something tangible like money or art, or something more intangible like presence, moral support, and time, the Kawartha Art Gallery has been the recipient of many gifts over its nearly 50 years. May these examples of giving inspire a new generation of patrons to give back to their community – whether in support of the arts or another worthy cause.
Every month, join Research Associate Ian McKechnie as he opens the doors to Kawartha Art Gallery’s archives, sharing the remarkable history and the dedicated individuals who made the City of Kawartha Lakes only public Art Gallery with a Permanent Collection a reality.
