A debate on the state of Kamloops’ arts and cultural scene turned into a shouting match in the Art We Are on Thursday, Nov. 6.
Hosted by the Kamloops Arts Council and Kamloops Vote 50, the debate packed the Victoria Street cafe and drew all of this year’s City Hall hopefuls save for incumbent mayor Peter Milobar and former councillor Nancy Bepple.
Much of the early evening served as a love-in for a new performing arts centre in the city, and the city’s artists in general.
Most candidates gave at least tentative support to the project, with some cautions about responsible use of tax dollars and the need for broad community support.
The evening got a major jolt of energy when candidate Glenn Hilke posed a question of his own during the debate, asking incumbent councillors why artists can’t have studios that are open to the public, and potential buyers, in their homes.
Coun. Tina Lange told Hilke there’s no reason an artist can’t set up shop in their home, but they need business licences and must apply for a rezoning from the city if they want to do retails sales.
“Just like a hairdresser who works out of her house, his house, as well, it would be a site-specific rezoning allowing people to to come to your home,” she said.
But, Hilke said he doesn’t think artists should have to go through what he said is a lengthy, bureaucratic process.
“If I’m a potter, why do I have to be rezoned as a factory?” he asked. “That’s what I was told by a potter in town.”
After several moments of back-and-forth shouting between a number of candidates, Coun. Arjun Singh said the city requires the rezoning so neighbours have a chance to air their concerns about businesses.
“So we put a potter by your house,” he said, “and the potter has a lot of people parking, people coming and going all the time.”
“No,” Hilke interrupted, only to be interrupted himself by calls of “let him finish” from other candidates and crowd members.
“What you’re basically saying is you want a potter in place, but not any consideration of your neighbours,” Singh said, before asking Hilke how many public hearings on rezoning he had ever attended.
Moderator Will George from Kamloops Vote 50 stepped in shortly after, asking candidates to move on to a new question about their own interest and participation in the arts.
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