P.E.I. Crafts Council's new space a 'perfect spot' for artists to develop skills and sell their wares

The Prince Edward Island Crafts Council is expanding to a building next door to its current location to let artists learn from each other and inspire a new generation.

"Our craftmaker population is aging out, and we see a very great importance of bringing up a new generation of skilled craftmakers, and hopefully skilled… in traditional techniques but also new, modern techniques," said Ayelet Stewart, the group's executive director. 

The P.E.I. Crafts Council moved into its current home at 98 Water St. in downtown Charlottetown in 2018. It's a short walk from shops on Queen, Richmond and Grafton streets, and equally convenient for visiting-cruise ship passengers walking from their berth into the historic downtown.

The building next door to the original building, 94 Water St., recently became available, so the council opted to lease the space. 

The intention is to create studios for artists who work with everything from pottery, jewellery and glass to textiles, leather and baskets. 

Stewart said the space will help craftspeople develop their skills in an educational environment, something that doesn't exist on the Island currently. 

The council has already started renting spaces out on the second and third floors of 98 Water to help cover rent, heat and electricity. 

Renée Laprise, a painter and crafts council board member, is using a portion of the building to do her work. She said it's important for artists to "level up" their skills through taking workshops and learning from experienced craftspeople.

"People need a space where they can congregate as artists, where we can bat ideas back and forth and just have that energy, but it's also really important that the public can come in and see us working instead of just always seeing our final products," Laprise said. 

"I think we feel a lot of the time that we're living in our own little bubble in our house doing our work. To come out and interact with people that are on the same wavelength and talk about the same awesome things and the same troubles is just really, really good." 

The crafts council is looking for funding opportunities to install an elevator at 98 Water and to make the washrooms accessible. 

Stewart estimates the work will cost in the range of $300,000 to $400,000, some of which the council has already raised on its own. 

Meanwhile, the bottom floor of the building will host popup stores by various artists to drive traffic and sales. 

Along with being an educational facility for the artists, Laprise said having working studios in the building will help educate the public too.