Long Live Harcourt House

Harcourt House is here for a good time and a long time. The centre has been granted a $1 million lifeline from the federal government, which ensures it can thrive for generations to come.

The journey to this victory hasn’t been easy. It began in 2022, when the Province of Alberta issued Harcourt House an ultimatum: raise $3.5 million to purchase their building (which they were leasing from the provincial government) or face eviction. Harcourt House has provided local artists with affordable and sustainable studio space for almost four decades — which made this news a crushing blow for the Edmonton arts community.

But as history has shown, this wasn’t the first time Harcourt House faced adversity and came out on top.

Harcourt House’s history is rooted in resilience. The centre’s creation was as a response to Edmonton’s 1987 Black Friday tornado, says Edmund Haakonson, artist and president of Where Edmonton Community Artists Network (W.E.C.A.N.). Local artists had raised over $15,000 in an “Artists for Tornado Relief” fundraiser. But they didn’t stop there. Motivated by a shared sense of purpose, these artists went on to form W.E.C.A.N. in 1987, and established Harcourt House in 1988.

Fast forward to 2022. Harcourt House stared down yet another storm — the looming threat of losing its home. W.E.C.A.N. Society launched a GoFundMe campaign and reached out to community members and local and provincial officials, fundraising a total of $2.5 million. But the community’s efforts alone weren’t enough to meet the $3.5 million goal.

The federal government has stepped up with $1 million from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. This allows W.E.C.A.N. Society to move forward with purchasing the building. On March 3, MP for Edmonton Centre Randy Boissonnault, delivered the game-changing news to a room electric with anticipation, and underscored the importance of artistic spaces.

“This is your second home. These are your studios. These are the walls where you express your deepest thoughts and emotions and feelings about who we are as Canadians,” Boissonnault said. “This is a fund that weaves [together] artists and the cultural tapestry across the country.”

Mary Whale, visual artist and long-time tenant at Harcourt House, says the contribution is about more than just money — it’s about cultivating community.

“[Harcourt House] is small. It’s precious. It’s a private creative space within a community of artists. That part is so important. Artists are known to work in isolation — but we need community.”

With their home secured, Harcourt House can continue to provide affordable studio spaces, host exhibitions, and remain an Edmonton arts scene institution. Haakonson is hopeful for Harcourt House’s future.

“Thirty-seven and a half years ago, a group of artists stood up to help the people of Edmonton at a time when it was needed most. Today, we have inherited that legacy and can now look to the future knowing that we are able to continue to support amazing and aspiring talent from Alberta and across Canada for generations to come.”