The Khyber
| Khyber Building (c. 1970) | |
|---|---|
| Address |
1588 Barrington Street Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 1Z6 Canada |
| Location | Downtown Halifax |
| Coordinates | 44°38′45″N 63°34′25″W / 44.6457°N 63.5735°W |
| Opened | 1888 |
| Owner | Halifax Regional Municipality |
| Former name(s) |
Church of England Institute (1888 – ?) Khyber Cafe (c. 1970 – ?) The Turret (3rd floor) (1976 – 1982) The Khyber Club (1998 – present) |
| Website | www.khyber.ca |
The Khyber (also, the Khyber Centre for the Arts) is a three story multipurpose arts centre located in a building owned by the Halifax Regional Municipality and is a registered Historical Property.[1] Its current occupancy consists of the Khyber Arts Society and the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.
History
The Khyber building at 1588 Barrington Street, was originally erected as The Church of England Institute in 1888. It was designed by architect Henry Busch in the Victorian style with Gothic Revival features.[1] The building was commissioned by Bishop Hibbert Binney. Other buildings designed by Busch in Halifax include the Halifax Academy and the Halifax Public Gardens Bandstand.[1][2]
In 1994, the City of Halifax put out an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the building, but only received a few offers. Its current tenants helped form the Arts Centre Project Society in order to secure the building as an arts centre. The Arts Centre Project Society was made up: the No Money Down Cultural Society (a group of artists active in building), various individual artists (including Garry Neill Kennedy), and members from the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia. The building was established as an art centre by City Council in 1994 and a month-to-month lease was signed.
In March 1995, the Khyber Arts Society was registered as a charitable organization. Recent NSCAD grad Kelly Mark ran the bar on the first floor for several years. Artists that have shown at the Khyber since then include: Luis Jacob, Emily Vey Duke & Cooper Battersby, Gillian Wearing, Kelly Mark, David Askevold, Shary Boyle, Gerald Ferguson, Alison Mitchel, Thierry Delva and the Critical Art Ensemble.
In 1997, the Khyber Arts Society signed a five-year renewable lease with the City to occupy the Khyber Building.[2]
In 1998, the Khyber Club opened as a meeting place for visual artists and as a venue for Halifax's emerging music scene including acts by Canadian recording artists Joel Plaskett, Sloan, Eric's Trip, Jenn Grant, Old Man Luedecke, Tanya Davis, Buck 65, Classified and Ghettosocks.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Heritage Property Program". halifax.ca. Halifax Regional Municipality. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Khyber Centre for the Arts » About » History". www.khyber.ca. The Khyber Centre for the Arts. Retrieved 30 December 2011.