The community is being called upon to ensure the survival of arts and culture in Victoria!
It’s a difficult time for renters everywhere, including local arts spaces. Performance venues are disappearing at an alarming rate, and organizations are taking action to preserve those that remain.
From Friday, January 17th to Sunday, January 19th, the Fernwood Community & Arts Association (FCAA) is hosting the “Little Fernwood Reno Fundraiser,” aiming to raise funds for essential renovations.
Across these three days, they’ll be hosting a series of performances and activities, ranging from yoga and tea to variety shows and live bands.
The fundraiser will kick off on Friday with the three-day silent auction, and their first performance: the Little Fernwood Variety Show at 7 p.m.
Located at 1923 Fernwood Road, Little Fernwood has served as a vital neighbourhood-scale arts and culture performance space for decades, offering a gathering place for local artists, performers, and community groups from across the city and region.
This intimate venue has hosted everything from live theatre and art exhibits to punk shows and craft fairs!
Beyond its roots as a live performance venue, Little Fernwood now also hosts events like death cafes, community programming such as the Pandora Arts Collective, and even Baby & Me yoga classes.
“This space provides a low-barrier opportunity for artists of all ages and mediums to showcase their craft in a safe and accessible space,” says Tyler Akis, a musician, event promoter and FCAA board member.
“I’ve been putting on local punk shows at Little Fernwood since I was 16 years old and continue to do so at 35.”
To continue offering these valuable services, Little Fernwood is in need of significant upgrades, particularly to its aging floors, which are in need of replacement.
The FCAA recently received a $10,000 Cultural Infrastructure Grant from the City of Victoria, but now they need to match this funding to make the necessary repairs.
An online fundraiser in December raised $5,700, and now the Little Fernwood Reno Fundraiser is aiming to raise the remaining amount.
“Few people think of a floor as the heart of a community centre, but a floor is where any community literally finds its feet: we stretch on floors, we dance on floors, we create on floors, we talk on floors,” says John Threlfall, long-time community arts advocate and Little Fernwood Fundraising Committee member.
“And we do it all so much at Little Fernwood that our floors now need replacing, and we need the community’s help to make it happen.”
Inside Little Fernwood contains the busy Paul Phillips Hall, which is the heart of the venue’s live performance space; as well as the Little Fernwood Gallery and Store Front Studio, a popular rental space for community programs.
In a media release, Roxie Fehr, the organizer for the Baby & Me classes, expressed how key the affordable rental rates have been for her classes.
“Because of the low rental rates, we’re able to keep our classes affordable for new parents. This is so important to us,” she said.
With performance spaces and multi-purpose arts venues vanishing across Victoria, the Little Fernwood Reno Fundraiser is a chance to support one of the last remaining affordable, accessible arts and culture venues in the city.
Over the three days, you can take in a series of great shows and activities—all while helping to ensure Little Fernwood continues to serve the community for years to come.
All events from Friday, January 17th to Sunday, January 19th are entry by donation, with a suggested donation of $25 for adults and $10 for youth.
If you can’t make an event but wish to donate, you can do so here.
Let’s keep Little Fernwood alive and thriving!
Little Fernwood Reno Fundraiser
- Where: 1923 Fernwood Road
- When:
- Friday, January 17th: Silent auction begins and Little Fernwood Variety Show, doors at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, January 18th: The Roses, Grateful Dead Cover Band, doors at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, January 19th:
- Tea at 10 a.m. and yoga at 11 a.m.
- Vic High R&B Band, doors at 2 p.m.
- Silent auction ends at 3:30 p.m.
