Celebrating success

In a big celebration, surrounded by many of our friends and partners who have helped us get this far, the London Potters Guild announced an $113,500 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to help create the London Clay Art Centre. We will use the grant to pay for a new HVAC system, flooring, and walls in our new space.

"I'm delighted that the London Potters Guild will be closer to achieving their dream as a result of this grant," said Deb Matthews, MPP London North Centre. "Having a space where potters can work, teach and create is an important part of keeping our arts community strong and vibrant. It signals that the Old East Village is becoming the place to be for artists in London."

We will also restore the slate façade of this 118 year old building to a late Victorian commercial style, with a bow window, glass storefront, and extensive slate restoration. The Guild has applied for heritage designation for the building; Old East London is London’s largest Heritage Conservation District.

“The London Potters Guild is so pleased to be moving into the Old East Village. What we are doing is good for the City of London, good for the revitalization of the Old East Village, good for the arts and the “Creative Cities” concept, and it’s definitely good for the London Potters Guild,” said Darlene Pratt, Chair of the London Potters Guild Seize the Clay campaign. “We appreciate the tremendous support we’ve received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of London and the Old East Village Business Improvement Association in helping us build the London Clay Art Centre.”

Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, Jonathan Bancroft-Snell, Honourary Patron of the Seize the Clay Campaign, Denis Gadwa of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Ken Keane, Chair of the Old East Village Business Improvement Association, also spoke at the event.

Seize the Clay is a $900,000 capital campaign that began in 2003. The Guild has raised funds internally for several years, and in April received a $200,000 capital grant from the City of London, to be paid in $50,000 installments over 4 years. With the Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, the campaign is halfway to its goal.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For over 25 years, the Foundation has supported the growth and vitality of communities across the province. OTF continues to strengthen the capacity of the volunteer sector through investments in community-based initiatives. For more information, please visit www.trilliumfoundation.org.

 London Free Press video - August 21, 2008

Click on images to see a larger view.

MPP's Deb Matthews and Chris Bentley, and Ontario Trillium Foundation volunteer Denis Gadwa present the Ontario Trillium Foundation plaque to Darlene Pratt of the London Potters Guild.	Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best speaks about the transformation of the Old East Village, and the role that the Potters Guild will play in that transformation.
Deb Matthews, MPP North Centre, announces the $113,500 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to the London Potters Guild.	OTF volunteer Denis Gadwa speaks about the volunteerism and project value to the Old East community and arts community as two reasons why his committee supported the London Potters Guild grant.
Jonathon Bancroft-Snell, owner of Jonathon's, Canada's largest ceramic art gallery, and honourary patron of the Seize the Clay campaign, sees London becoming the "mecca" both for ceramic art collectors and makers.	Ken Keane, Chair of the Old East Village Business Improvement Association, is happy to have the Potters Guild as a new neighbour.
Darlene Pratt shows off the artist's rendition of the facade of 664 Dundas.	A crowd of about 50 celebrated with the London Potters Guild as they mark the halfway point of their campaign.
London Potters Guild member and professional potter Chris Snedden gave a potter demonstration.

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