A local youth arts hub is being renamed to honour a local man.
‘Nick’s Place for Us’ will be a centre where youth, primarily ages 13-30, can take part in positive arts experiences.
Karrie Emms, co-owner, says youth will learn leadership skills, school success, job readiness and community involvement through visual, performing and culinary arts.
“We realized, in operating Gateway To the Arts, there was a large need for youth-centred art opportunities in the city whether a working artist or someone who just likes to dabble,” says Emms. “There are music teachers looking for space, art instructors wanting to run workshops and people who genuinely want to be involved with young people in the city. But there are not a lot of community spaces to run these programs.”
She says her nephew, Nicholas Nicholls, was killed in early December, less than two blocks from the proposed centre’s location.
“Nicholas was a lively little boy who could wrap you around your finger with one smile,” says Emms. “But his huge heart and hard-working nature got lost behind the wall of addiction and likely mental health issues.”
Emms and her business partner Dani-Lynn Redgrift-Berthelot, in consultation with the family, have decided to rename ‘A Place For Us’ to ‘Nick’s Place For Us.’
The hope is to begin renovations in the spring while maintaining some of the history and esthetics of the old Gulliver’s Bookstore at 157 Main St. West.
The target opening date is in December, but some programming will begin running out of Gateway To The Arts this summer, during the renovations to the centre.
Emms says the renovations will include a main floor multipurpose space, upgrades to the storefront, industrial kitchen facilities, making the basement a usable space, and more.
The center will work with local organizations and artists to provide programming, local health organizations and educational facilities as well as employing youth interns to provide on the job training and experience. They are awaiting approval on several grants and running a number of fundraisers in the coming months including an online auction of two Valentine’s Day Experience Packages valued at over $600.
Details can be found at:
https://www.32auctions.com/nicks_place_for-us
There’s also a GoFundMe fundraiser at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/nicksaplaceforus?qid=d774174d3a83ea3582b79334359dfec5
Two people are charged with murder in relation to Nicholls’ death.
