Designs for new media centre in downtown Windsor unveiled

After a four-year wait, the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts has finally unveileddrawings for an arts facilitydowntown.

The organization purchased a 28,000-squre-footbuilding on Ouellette Avenue and Pelisser Streetwith the missionto create jobs in the arts. Amanda Gellman, the organization's chair, said thehope is the proposed centre will fill the gap between graduating with an arts degree and getting work.

Gellman said the lack of a local centre for digital media comes up a lot in her discussion with people in the field.

"As we get moving, we're finding that we're getting a lot of calls from theatre companies that also need help, so it's a mixture of both," she added.

The group had to come up with abusiness plan and develop programs that would help sustain the centre, according to Gellman.Although there is no set cost, the organization said the entire project is expected to costseveral million dollars.

The plans include space for production, music recording, editing suites, a restaurant with a stage, a theatre, storefronts for artists and about 20 spaces for start-up arts organizations.

Part of the building, constructed in 1922 by the Knights of Columbus, previously housed a bowling alley and a swimming pool. Gellman said those rooms will become a music studio with editing space and an 80-seat theatre and screening room.

"It'll be great for stand-up comedy, improv, poetry reading, book launches, screens for short films, that kind of thing," she explained.

Downstairs there will be the restaurant with a stage and two stores, including ashop where artists can sell their work along withvintage clothing and costumes.

The organization is also looking to buy equipment to rent to arts graduates and start up film companies.

"If we have [equipment] available to them when they graduate they're more likely to stay in film versus going to a different sector," Gellman explained.

Construction could take another three years to complete, according to Gellman, but they plan to begin searching for donors in the fall.

Once the new centre is finished, the building will be managed by a non-profit and owned by a charity. If you're interested in helping fundraise for the project contact information for the organization isavailable at www.filmcampforkids.com.