June 12, 2025 • 25 mins
In this inspiring conversation, we sit down with Bethel Afework, the founder and director of a thriving recreational art center, to explore how art can be a powerful connector across cultures, generations, and backgrounds. She shares how creativity often transcends spoken language—allowing people to express themselves, connect with others, and build a sense of belonging in their communities.
Whether you’re passionate about community impact, curious about the deeper role of the arts, or dreaming of starting your own arts center, this conversation is full of wisdom, heart, and practical advice. Don’t miss her actionable tips for turning a creative vision into a welcoming, inclusive space for all.
More from Bethel and Alcove Centre for the Arts here: https://www.alcoveartscentre.ca/
Learn more about the Take an Art Break Movement on the Art is Moving website here.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lisa (00:02):
Hello, it's Lisa and Lauren from Art is Moving, Take
an Art Break podcast.
We're really excited today.
We're with Bethel.
She's from the Community Centerin Calgary.
It's an art center called theAlcove.
So Bethel, introduce yourself.
Tell our audience about you andthe Alcove.
Bethel (00:20):
Hi, everyone.
My name is Bethel Afflework.
Thank you for the introduction,Lisa.
And yes, we are...
from calgary alberta also knownas mokinstans from treaty seven
territory and we are AlcoCenter for the Arts, and we are
a recreational art space.
(00:42):
So I play the role as one ofthe co-founders of that space
and also the executive director.
And it's been really awesomebeing able to run a brick and
mortar space since April 2023 inthe heart of downtown of the
city.
So that's just a little bitabout me.
(01:03):
And I'm sure we'll be talking alittle bit more about what I do
during the podcast, too.
That sounds
Lauren (01:07):
awesome.
Yeah, so we just like to ask aquestion as a jumping off point.
The question we wanted to chatwith you about today is how can
art build bridges betweenindividuals and communities?
Bethel (01:22):
Well, I think art is one of those phenomenal things
where You don't need to know thelanguage, maybe.
You know, there's so many waysto connect with art without
having to even maybe speak thesame language or...
It's a beautiful way to alsoshare culture.
(01:43):
Like when you're traveling, ifyou go out to dance and you hear
music, like, you know, youdon't need to know the local
language or things like that,but you feel the music, right?
If you're looking at visualart, that is something that
means something to you withoutneeding to, without, without,
yeah, without needing to likeactually be able to speak.
(02:04):
I think that's the one thing isthat a lot of times when we are
talking about communication, wealways think about talking, but
that actually is a hugebarrier, right?
And I think even as Englishspeakers, there is this notion
that we'll go around and thingswill be accommodated for us and
things like that, and that'sobviously not true and shouldn't
(02:27):
be true, but that's kind of howwe sometimes move through the
world.
A lot of things are translatedand things like that, and I
think that With language,there's so many languages that
are spoken, you know, in NorthAmerica and all around the
world.
And I think that we could learnso much from one another if we
allow art to be the means ofcommunication.
(02:49):
And at Alcove, that is whatinspired us as well, because we
believe that arts is the meansto connect with one another,
because we find a lot of timesthat it's In our city and in a
lot of cities in North America,the means to connect would be
like, you know, over food orover coffee or over a drink.
(03:11):
But, you know, those things aswell.
I feel like push you toactually have physical
conversations.
But when you're making art, youknow, you could just be beside
someone and you are connectingwith them just by merely maybe
collaborating on a collage.
And maybe you don't speak atall.
(03:32):
Maybe you're actually hard ofhearing.
You know, maybe there's so manydifferent things that art can
help break that barrier for.
And I think it's really awesomewith music.
You can share so much aroundmusic and things like that and
different art mediums.
So I feel like if there is anart, our main medium to connect
(03:54):
and have conversations forces usto actually physically be
talking.
But art allows you to just be,I feel.
And you can just be in theroom, be in the space and
connect with people withouthaving to even say a word.
So that's.
Lisa (04:13):
True.
That's a good one.
So art is a universal languagebasically, but it's not even a
language.
It's almost like being, it'slike people, because we found
that being present in the momentwith somebody.
And I think, and I think alsoit's, there's a vulnerability to
it.
Do you know what I mean?
Because there's so much,sometimes there's so much
(04:34):
judgment around that.
So let's go to the alcove andyour inspiration.
Tell us a little bit more aboutit and any like, stories where
have you seen that art hasbecome a bridge?
Any like testimonies?
Bethel (04:48):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, there's so many.
And sometimes when you think ofthese, you're like, oh, what?
What is the answer to thisquestion?
But I would say that a lot offriendships and bands have been
born out of that space.
I think that's a really coolthing to see.
(05:10):
I find that a lot of peopleWhen I ask them, you know, how
did you make, not a lot, butlike when I see people in the
space, I meant to say, I wouldask like, oh, how did you meet
so-and-so?
You know, you guys seem soclose.
Or how did you get into thisband?
And they'd say, oh, I met themat a jam session or I met them
at a workshop.
(05:30):
I've also had lots of differentgenerations, like maybe a
mother, a daughter and agranddaughter and things like
that, where they're like Alcoveis the one place we feel like we
could go and all enjoy togetherand all do a workshop and
connect with one another sobreaking those bridges
intergenerationally and yeah amother and a son even said that
(05:52):
too they're like I don't reallyknow how to connect with my son
but coming here and doingworkshops is our way of being
able to even communicate andjust learn a little bit more
about one another and that ithink that's i think that's
what's been really awesome isthat when you come in there is
that very welcoming just abilityto strike a conversation and
(06:16):
not even strike a conversation.
If you don't want to speak thelanguage you want, if it's
playing an instrument or if it'smaking visual art, that there
will be people that connect withyou as well.
So bands have been formed.
Friendships have been formed.
Relationships have been formed.
Family bonds have beenstrengthened.
So, you know, that's, that'swhat I've been seeing in this
space for sure.
Lauren (06:35):
Awesome.
That's awesome.
And you're mostly process basedor.
Are there, I'm hearing musicand what are some other things
that the center offers itscommunity?
Bethel (06:52):
Oh yeah, so it's four main art disciplines.
So we have music andperformances.
We have visual arts.
So that's photography,painting, collaging, things like
that.
We have textiles, that's a bigone.
So we do a lot of crocheting,punch needling, embroidery,
(07:13):
those types of arts.
And then the last one iscreative writing.
So there is opportunities tolearn about spoken word, for
example, at a spoken wordworkshop recently.
And sometimes we do hostcreative writing workshops.
So those are the four main, I'dsay pillars.
Nice.
Lisa (07:34):
Yeah.
Very cool.
Do you guys have a largervision?
Would you want to become abigger art center and more of an
anchor in the community?
And do you find that you're ananchor in the community?
Bethel (07:47):
Yeah, I feel like with the presence, the small presence
we have now has already beengrowing into being an anchor and
we're growing to be more knownin the community, which is such
a blessing.
I would hope we'd have more ofa purpose-built space.
There are, like, Thursdaynights are bursting through the
seams in that space.
Now it's so busy.
(08:08):
And I think that what it is isthe space itself.
We have...
retrofitted an old shoe storeto become an art space but we
hope that you know one day thereis like a kitchen that we could
use and a paint sink and andthese things that are really
important that we've just youknow been making means with what
(08:31):
we have but yeah that's,that's, that's the vision is
that there's a bit more of apurpose built space.
Cause everything that's in thespace right now is super DIY.
You know, it used to be an oldshoe store.
We did the rooms, we, we didall those things.
So that was us retrofitting it.
You know, there's a lot ofoutlets in the space, you know,
(08:52):
there's, there's been someproblems with electricity
sometimes, you know, that's,that's really what the vision
is, is, you know, Yes, bigger,but I think what's even more
important than just size is thepurpose-built space that will
help us carry out and make iteasier to run a community art
(09:14):
space.
Lauren (09:15):
Yeah, I think obviously you believe in a community art
space is sort of a vital thingfor a community.
Why is that?
Why a community art space?
What can that bring to acommunity that nothing else can?
Bethel (09:38):
I think that art beyond...
any other activity, whether youconsider yourself an artist or
not, like art truly does improveyour wellbeing.
And it's so ingrained in humansociety from the beginning,
right?
The chances that if someonecompletely doesn't indulge in
(10:01):
any art, I don't know how that'seven possible, right?
Like people either watch amovies, Or they listen to music
or they walk past a mural and itdoes make them feel a little
bit better than looking at grayand brown buildings all day,
right?
So even if you yourself are notan artist, I think beyond
sports, I think beyond any otheractivity, any other niche
(10:26):
activity, art is the mostuniversally accepted and needed
piece of human life, you know,because humans before and after,
not even before, even rightnow, I think it's just taken
away here in colonial cultureand Western culture.
Because when we grow up, us andthe co-founders, Dennis Lee and
(10:47):
Sason, we've talked about howin our cultures, everyone
dances, everyone sings atweddings.
You are not an artist.
It's not gate kept, right?
There are tribes that sing anddance every night.
There are rituals and thingslike that that are very artistic
and creative at the end of theday.
Even if you look at religion,like religious art, like
(11:07):
anywhere you go, art is justthere.
And it's been there since thebeginning.
And I think that it is very lowbarrier, extremely low barrier.
You don't need much to makeart.
You know, you could be drawingchalk on the street.
You could make a collage withscraps.
But it's crazy because I feellike art became the most
(11:28):
gatekept art.
in Western society, even thoughit is the most low barrier, it
became the most gatecapped.
I feel like there's a lot ofopportunities for sports and for
things like that.
But for some reason for art, ifyou want to learn piano, it's
classical piano and it's privatelessons.
If you want to pick up apaintbrush, it's so expensive
(11:53):
sometimes to pick up apaintbrush and you don't want to
commit to all of that.
Even if you don't know ifyou're going to be...
wanting to continue doing itfurther.
And I think that for me,whether someone is a artist or
not an artist, people do enjoythe process of just being
(12:14):
creative and it's just so goodfor your wellbeing.
It really breaks down a lot ofbarriers.
It helps you, it feelsmeditative, it's therapeutic.
There's just so much there thathas been taken away by, you
know, colonialism and Westernsociety and has become for a
(12:37):
more elite group thatunderstands a certain type of
art and enjoys a certain type ofart.
Right.
And so at Alcove, you know, wereally want people to feel like
you could be scribbling andmaking stick men and we don't
care.
And so that type of space toreally just feel like, you could
be as you are, wherever you areat whatever level.
(12:59):
And you also don't need tocreate, you don't need to
actually produce.
I think that's the biggestthing too, that in this society,
it's like art is about likeproducing something like this is
not about producing, but it'sactually the process of being
and making that's moreimportant.
And so I think it's justimportant because I think that
(13:19):
it's stripping down, you know,humans to the core, you know,
Before any sort of otheractivity, like arts was the mean
of, you know, we used to drumand just dance and sing and
everyone did it.
You know, you didn't have to begood at it.
You just kind of became part ofthat community and did that.
So I think it's reallystripping down humans to their
(13:42):
roots and just, you know,getting them connecting on a
base level and on a level whereeveryone could meet each other
at.
Lisa (13:52):
I mean, have you ever thought the why?
Why?
I mean, we live in thissociety, so we know, we know.
But have you thought of why?
Why is this?
Why is this gate?
Why is it?
Why is it considered just forthe elite?
And why is it programmed intous?
You know, what's the why?
Like, why is it like that?
(14:13):
Yeah, why in North America, inWestern culture, say it be, it's
been, like you said, like it'sprimal to dance and sing and
drum and scribble and, you know,put my hand on the cave.
You know what I mean?
It's something that's very,it's our soul.
So why was that stripped awayfrom us in this Western world?
Bethel (14:37):
I mean, I think that it, there is advantages of creating
better capital when people arebelieving in individualism.
I think that art is a reallybeautiful thing.
And if that thing is strippedaway, people will focus more on
(15:00):
work.
People will focus more onbuilding capital.
So that's how we've been ableto create very rich societies
affluent in terms of capitalbecause when you think about
people's day-to-day schedulespeople a lot of people that just
go to work and then come home
Lauren (15:20):
right like right one of the things that people say is i
don't have time to make artright i don't have time and it's
like and you they've been madeto think they don't have time
Bethel (15:30):
right Yeah, exactly.
And they also prioritizeworking, right?
So work actually overshadowsany of the free time they could
be making art.
Whereas like, you know, oursocieties are very fast paced.
So it does, there is a lot ofcramming things into a schedule.
Right.
(15:50):
A lot of feeling, a feelinglike there isn't time, right?
Like the only time you canrelax and do things is when
you're on vacation or-
Lauren (15:58):
Right, totally.
Bethel (16:00):
Right, but- Other societies, there are places in
the world now where every daypeople are getting together to
drink coffee.
I'm talking about places evenin Italy.
I'm talking about Europe too.
This is not just slowed downsocieties.
People have two hour lunchesthere.
(16:21):
people are slowing downdrinking their morning coffee.
I was like, it's a Wednesday.
Does no one have anywhere to behere?
Wednesday at 8 a.m.
So I think that the reason,yeah, why it has been stripped
down is really just because ofthe type of society they were
looking to build, which is onethat built a very strong
(16:42):
capitalistic one.
And you know what?
If people were just morecommunity-based and felt like
they didn't need to do as muchto survive you wouldn't be able
to build that type of society.
So it's really trying to bringit back because- we can tell
that obviously this way of lifedoes really hurt people and it's
(17:05):
not sustainable.
And a lot of the means ofpeople trying to find community
and therapy is still notworking.
I believe in going to therapyand such, but I know lots of
people that come to Alcove andbe like, this is my therapy,
just coming to listen to musicand seeing people.
And it makes me feel lesslonely, right?
Like going to a therapy.
(17:26):
Like that, that might help digthrough your problems, you know,
help you navigate issues.
But once that one hourconversation is done, where's
your community where you canactually just hang out and talk
to and maybe not about yourlife, but just be as a human and
feel like you're seen and aliveand cared for.
So,
Lauren (17:45):
yeah.
And I also think it's likeright when.
when you're not someone who isnecessarily ingrained art making
in your life on a daily basisor on a regular basis, it kind
of hits you in the face howtherapeutic it is.
You know, Lisa and I talk abouthow we take it for granted, the
benefits of art.
And we're constantly remindingourselves that it's not part of
(18:09):
everybody's vocabulary.
And that's why we have theseconversations, not only to
remind ourselves, but also to tokeep the conversation going
because it still needs to happenbecause we don't live in a
world where it's okay to take anhour out of your work day to
walk in nature or draw somethingor listen to the, you know, the
(18:30):
music of nature.
I don't know, paint with yourcoworker, which I mean, imagine
how cool that would be.
So I'm just going to keeptalking about it, you know?
And I think that also, likeLisa mentioned earlier in the
conversation about there's thissense of vulnerability across
the table.
I also think that is somethingthat only exists because we're
(18:55):
not a community that connectsacross an art table very often.
You wouldn't feel vulnerable ifyou were doing it all the time.
It would feel, I mean, I thinkit would feel like right.
It would just feel normal.
Wouldn't that be great ifsitting at your...
I love the idea.
(19:16):
I like art centers because youmentioned sports.
There's public parks that arededicated to sports playing,
which is also a great way toconnect with your community.
I love the notion of thecommunity center is that as
well.
It's this place that thecommunity can go to and connect
in that way.
And it's really about givingpeople the opportunity to
(19:39):
discover how they can connectwith one another.
And I think it's even morevital than we maybe even realize
right now, because it's like, Idon't know how you're feeling,
but I'm feeling a lot wherethere's just like, we're just
getting more separate, separate,separate.
And we almost have to fight tobe more connected right now for
(20:02):
lots of reasons.
that we would probably not havetime to go into.
Bethel (20:06):
For sure.
And sports is a big examplebecause I was inspired by YMCA
to build Alcova as well.
I volunteered there for most ofmy teen years.
And even though I didn't reallyconsider myself an athlete, I
did feel welcomed and lowbarrier to like play basketball
there or swim or something likethat.
and um it was one of thoseplaces where it's like yeah you
(20:29):
can drop in and it's likethere's an elliptical and
different equipment for you touse so the idea was like every
time we hear about arecreational center opening up
our mind specifically goes to ohit's a sports place but now
that's why we call ourselves arecreational art space because
this is arts for recreation aswell.
(20:50):
And it's really definitelymodeled by, inspired by like
YMCA of like, you can come in,like we don't have memberships
or anything, not necessarily.
So like you can just drop induring our hours and just like
how YMCA is different sportsequipment.
We have different artsequipment and just like how they
have classes.
We have classes and just likethey have sometimes events, we
(21:10):
have events, you know?
So that was how we were tryingto get people to envision this
space when we were still openingup or like, it's like the YMCA
for arts like but where becauseI know YMCA also has an arts
branch but yeah is that thelarger model of the sports is
actually the arts
Lauren (21:29):
yeah yeah that's awesome
Lisa (21:32):
it's wonderful any other insights on how art is a bridge
and then let our audience knowhow they can connect with you
and maybe open an art center intheir community if they have the
means
Bethel (21:47):
oh yeah oh yeah So art as a bridge is just, you know,
we see it in our day-to-daylife.
Art is definitely the bridge tomaking connections to
understanding, to sharingculture.
I think I'll leave it at that.
And with that said, if you wantto connect with us, you could
(22:12):
always check out our website,which is Alcove Arts Center.
That's A-L-C-O-V-Eartscenter.ca.
So that's our website.
Or you can check us out atAlcove Arts Center on Instagram.
And if you want to ever visitour center, we are located in
(22:34):
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, justup north, but also very close to
the south of the border, justlike three, four hours away from
the Montana border if you'redriving.
Love it.
so that's where we're locatedand if you ever want to open up
(22:56):
an art center and you don't knowwhere to start I'd say start
small and also the way that weframed opening up our art center
is a way to revitalize vacantcommercial spaces that was hard
to find so that's actually solike right now we pay you know
just for people to understand wepay like Below market rate,
(23:19):
because the idea is that we areactivating a space that would
have otherwise sat vacant.
So it's not only solving theproblem of like community and
arts, but it's also trying tonavigate and build up buildings
that would essentially just besitting there vacant.
That would be.
you know, a hole in thedowntown and we're just bringing
(23:41):
life to it, you know?
So I think that for us, westarted with pop-ups and really
was able to establish ourconcept by doing pop-ups.
And then we were able to dopop-ups in commercial spaces.
So we showed like before andafter pictures of what those
commercial spaces look like.
And then we were able to sign atemporary lease by those
(24:04):
examples we were able to bring.
So I'd always tell people, youknow, if you're trying to do
something and you're trying tostart something, you know,
opening up a space overnightisn't really feasible, but doing
something once a month mightbe, you know, doing something
once a quarter and building itout.
Because we started with hostingan event called Raw Voices once
a month.
And that started eight and ahalf years ago.
(24:25):
And that started.
And then we wrote a businessplan like four years ago.
And then we started doingpop-ups in 2021.
And then we got this space in2023.
So, you know, you really justgot to trust the process and you
just got to let time also doits thing.
And you also just got to feelconfident in yourself that you
can take on something.
Right.
And so by starting small and byoutgrowing those things and
(24:49):
feeling confident in thosethings will help you get to the
next step.
But if you live in a city wherespace is an issue, like spaces,
there's lots of vacant, emptyspaces, you know, start talking
to, you know, your city councilor start building those
relationships now and plantingthose seeds while doing smaller
things, because when the timecomes, they'll know who to call.
(25:09):
So I always do believe in, youknow, you plant those seeds in
hopes that maybe five years downthe line, something will
happen.
You things don't happenquickly.
So, and good things don't comefast either.
So you just gotta take time.
Love it.
Thank you so much for takingthe time to chat with us today.
(25:30):
Yeah.
Thank you for inviting me.
Yeah.
Where can I find this podcast?
Like where does this getposted?
Yeah,
Lauren (25:37):
I will put it on our website and then
Hello, it's Lisa and Lauren from Art is Moving, Take
an Art Break podcast.
We're really excited today.
We're with Bethel.
She's from the Community Centerin Calgary.
It's an art center called theAlcove.
So Bethel, introduce yourself.
Tell our audience about you andthe Alcove.
Bethel (00:20):
Hi, everyone.
My name is Bethel Afflework.
Thank you for the introduction,Lisa.
And yes, we are...
from calgary alberta also knownas mokinstans from treaty seven
territory and we are AlcoCenter for the Arts, and we are
a recreational art space.
(00:42):
So I play the role as one ofthe co-founders of that space
and also the executive director.
And it's been really awesomebeing able to run a brick and
mortar space since April 2023 inthe heart of downtown of the
city.
So that's just a little bitabout me.
(01:03):
And I'm sure we'll be talking alittle bit more about what I do
during the podcast, too.
That sounds
Lauren (01:07):
awesome.
Yeah, so we just like to ask aquestion as a jumping off point.
The question we wanted to chatwith you about today is how can
art build bridges betweenindividuals and communities?
Bethel (01:22):
Well, I think art is one of those phenomenal things
where You don't need to know thelanguage, maybe.
You know, there's so many waysto connect with art without
having to even maybe speak thesame language or...
It's a beautiful way to alsoshare culture.
(01:43):
Like when you're traveling, ifyou go out to dance and you hear
music, like, you know, youdon't need to know the local
language or things like that,but you feel the music, right?
If you're looking at visualart, that is something that
means something to you withoutneeding to, without, without,
yeah, without needing to likeactually be able to speak.
(02:04):
I think that's the one thing isthat a lot of times when we are
talking about communication, wealways think about talking, but
that actually is a hugebarrier, right?
And I think even as Englishspeakers, there is this notion
that we'll go around and thingswill be accommodated for us and
things like that, and that'sobviously not true and shouldn't
(02:27):
be true, but that's kind of howwe sometimes move through the
world.
A lot of things are translatedand things like that, and I
think that With language,there's so many languages that
are spoken, you know, in NorthAmerica and all around the
world.
And I think that we could learnso much from one another if we
allow art to be the means ofcommunication.
(02:49):
And at Alcove, that is whatinspired us as well, because we
believe that arts is the meansto connect with one another,
because we find a lot of timesthat it's In our city and in a
lot of cities in North America,the means to connect would be
like, you know, over food orover coffee or over a drink.
(03:11):
But, you know, those things aswell.
I feel like push you toactually have physical
conversations.
But when you're making art, youknow, you could just be beside
someone and you are connectingwith them just by merely maybe
collaborating on a collage.
And maybe you don't speak atall.
(03:32):
Maybe you're actually hard ofhearing.
You know, maybe there's so manydifferent things that art can
help break that barrier for.
And I think it's really awesomewith music.
You can share so much aroundmusic and things like that and
different art mediums.
So I feel like if there is anart, our main medium to connect
(03:54):
and have conversations forces usto actually physically be
talking.
But art allows you to just be,I feel.
And you can just be in theroom, be in the space and
connect with people withouthaving to even say a word.
So that's.
Lisa (04:13):
True.
That's a good one.
So art is a universal languagebasically, but it's not even a
language.
It's almost like being, it'slike people, because we found
that being present in the momentwith somebody.
And I think, and I think alsoit's, there's a vulnerability to
it.
Do you know what I mean?
Because there's so much,sometimes there's so much
(04:34):
judgment around that.
So let's go to the alcove andyour inspiration.
Tell us a little bit more aboutit and any like, stories where
have you seen that art hasbecome a bridge?
Any like testimonies?
Bethel (04:48):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, there's so many.
And sometimes when you think ofthese, you're like, oh, what?
What is the answer to thisquestion?
But I would say that a lot offriendships and bands have been
born out of that space.
I think that's a really coolthing to see.
(05:10):
I find that a lot of peopleWhen I ask them, you know, how
did you make, not a lot, butlike when I see people in the
space, I meant to say, I wouldask like, oh, how did you meet
so-and-so?
You know, you guys seem soclose.
Or how did you get into thisband?
And they'd say, oh, I met themat a jam session or I met them
at a workshop.
(05:30):
I've also had lots of differentgenerations, like maybe a
mother, a daughter and agranddaughter and things like
that, where they're like Alcoveis the one place we feel like we
could go and all enjoy togetherand all do a workshop and
connect with one another sobreaking those bridges
intergenerationally and yeah amother and a son even said that
(05:52):
too they're like I don't reallyknow how to connect with my son
but coming here and doingworkshops is our way of being
able to even communicate andjust learn a little bit more
about one another and that ithink that's i think that's
what's been really awesome isthat when you come in there is
that very welcoming just abilityto strike a conversation and
(06:16):
not even strike a conversation.
If you don't want to speak thelanguage you want, if it's
playing an instrument or if it'smaking visual art, that there
will be people that connect withyou as well.
So bands have been formed.
Friendships have been formed.
Relationships have been formed.
Family bonds have beenstrengthened.
So, you know, that's, that'swhat I've been seeing in this
space for sure.
Lauren (06:35):
Awesome.
That's awesome.
And you're mostly process basedor.
Are there, I'm hearing musicand what are some other things
that the center offers itscommunity?
Bethel (06:52):
Oh yeah, so it's four main art disciplines.
So we have music andperformances.
We have visual arts.
So that's photography,painting, collaging, things like
that.
We have textiles, that's a bigone.
So we do a lot of crocheting,punch needling, embroidery,
(07:13):
those types of arts.
And then the last one iscreative writing.
So there is opportunities tolearn about spoken word, for
example, at a spoken wordworkshop recently.
And sometimes we do hostcreative writing workshops.
So those are the four main, I'dsay pillars.
Nice.
Lisa (07:34):
Yeah.
Very cool.
Do you guys have a largervision?
Would you want to become abigger art center and more of an
anchor in the community?
And do you find that you're ananchor in the community?
Bethel (07:47):
Yeah, I feel like with the presence, the small presence
we have now has already beengrowing into being an anchor and
we're growing to be more knownin the community, which is such
a blessing.
I would hope we'd have more ofa purpose-built space.
There are, like, Thursdaynights are bursting through the
seams in that space.
Now it's so busy.
(08:08):
And I think that what it is isthe space itself.
We have...
retrofitted an old shoe storeto become an art space but we
hope that you know one day thereis like a kitchen that we could
use and a paint sink and andthese things that are really
important that we've just youknow been making means with what
(08:31):
we have but yeah that's,that's, that's the vision is
that there's a bit more of apurpose built space.
Cause everything that's in thespace right now is super DIY.
You know, it used to be an oldshoe store.
We did the rooms, we, we didall those things.
So that was us retrofitting it.
You know, there's a lot ofoutlets in the space, you know,
(08:52):
there's, there's been someproblems with electricity
sometimes, you know, that's,that's really what the vision
is, is, you know, Yes, bigger,but I think what's even more
important than just size is thepurpose-built space that will
help us carry out and make iteasier to run a community art
(09:14):
space.
Lauren (09:15):
Yeah, I think obviously you believe in a community art
space is sort of a vital thingfor a community.
Why is that?
Why a community art space?
What can that bring to acommunity that nothing else can?
Bethel (09:38):
I think that art beyond...
any other activity, whether youconsider yourself an artist or
not, like art truly does improveyour wellbeing.
And it's so ingrained in humansociety from the beginning,
right?
The chances that if someonecompletely doesn't indulge in
(10:01):
any art, I don't know how that'seven possible, right?
Like people either watch amovies, Or they listen to music
or they walk past a mural and itdoes make them feel a little
bit better than looking at grayand brown buildings all day,
right?
So even if you yourself are notan artist, I think beyond
sports, I think beyond any otheractivity, any other niche
(10:26):
activity, art is the mostuniversally accepted and needed
piece of human life, you know,because humans before and after,
not even before, even rightnow, I think it's just taken
away here in colonial cultureand Western culture.
Because when we grow up, us andthe co-founders, Dennis Lee and
(10:47):
Sason, we've talked about howin our cultures, everyone
dances, everyone sings atweddings.
You are not an artist.
It's not gate kept, right?
There are tribes that sing anddance every night.
There are rituals and thingslike that that are very artistic
and creative at the end of theday.
Even if you look at religion,like religious art, like
(11:07):
anywhere you go, art is justthere.
And it's been there since thebeginning.
And I think that it is very lowbarrier, extremely low barrier.
You don't need much to makeart.
You know, you could be drawingchalk on the street.
You could make a collage withscraps.
But it's crazy because I feellike art became the most
(11:28):
gatekept art.
in Western society, even thoughit is the most low barrier, it
became the most gatecapped.
I feel like there's a lot ofopportunities for sports and for
things like that.
But for some reason for art, ifyou want to learn piano, it's
classical piano and it's privatelessons.
If you want to pick up apaintbrush, it's so expensive
(11:53):
sometimes to pick up apaintbrush and you don't want to
commit to all of that.
Even if you don't know ifyou're going to be...
wanting to continue doing itfurther.
And I think that for me,whether someone is a artist or
not an artist, people do enjoythe process of just being
(12:14):
creative and it's just so goodfor your wellbeing.
It really breaks down a lot ofbarriers.
It helps you, it feelsmeditative, it's therapeutic.
There's just so much there thathas been taken away by, you
know, colonialism and Westernsociety and has become for a
(12:37):
more elite group thatunderstands a certain type of
art and enjoys a certain type ofart.
Right.
And so at Alcove, you know, wereally want people to feel like
you could be scribbling andmaking stick men and we don't
care.
And so that type of space toreally just feel like, you could
be as you are, wherever you areat whatever level.
(12:59):
And you also don't need tocreate, you don't need to
actually produce.
I think that's the biggestthing too, that in this society,
it's like art is about likeproducing something like this is
not about producing, but it'sactually the process of being
and making that's moreimportant.
And so I think it's justimportant because I think that
(13:19):
it's stripping down, you know,humans to the core, you know,
Before any sort of otheractivity, like arts was the mean
of, you know, we used to drumand just dance and sing and
everyone did it.
You know, you didn't have to begood at it.
You just kind of became part ofthat community and did that.
So I think it's reallystripping down humans to their
(13:42):
roots and just, you know,getting them connecting on a
base level and on a level whereeveryone could meet each other
at.
Lisa (13:52):
I mean, have you ever thought the why?
Why?
I mean, we live in thissociety, so we know, we know.
But have you thought of why?
Why is this?
Why is this gate?
Why is it?
Why is it considered just forthe elite?
And why is it programmed intous?
You know, what's the why?
Like, why is it like that?
(14:13):
Yeah, why in North America, inWestern culture, say it be, it's
been, like you said, like it'sprimal to dance and sing and
drum and scribble and, you know,put my hand on the cave.
You know what I mean?
It's something that's very,it's our soul.
So why was that stripped awayfrom us in this Western world?
Bethel (14:37):
I mean, I think that it, there is advantages of creating
better capital when people arebelieving in individualism.
I think that art is a reallybeautiful thing.
And if that thing is strippedaway, people will focus more on
(15:00):
work.
People will focus more onbuilding capital.
So that's how we've been ableto create very rich societies
affluent in terms of capitalbecause when you think about
people's day-to-day schedulespeople a lot of people that just
go to work and then come home
Lauren (15:20):
right like right one of the things that people say is i
don't have time to make artright i don't have time and it's
like and you they've been madeto think they don't have time
Bethel (15:30):
right Yeah, exactly.
And they also prioritizeworking, right?
So work actually overshadowsany of the free time they could
be making art.
Whereas like, you know, oursocieties are very fast paced.
So it does, there is a lot ofcramming things into a schedule.
Right.
(15:50):
A lot of feeling, a feelinglike there isn't time, right?
Like the only time you canrelax and do things is when
you're on vacation or-
Lauren (15:58):
Right, totally.
Bethel (16:00):
Right, but- Other societies, there are places in
the world now where every daypeople are getting together to
drink coffee.
I'm talking about places evenin Italy.
I'm talking about Europe too.
This is not just slowed downsocieties.
People have two hour lunchesthere.
(16:21):
people are slowing downdrinking their morning coffee.
I was like, it's a Wednesday.
Does no one have anywhere to behere?
Wednesday at 8 a.m.
So I think that the reason,yeah, why it has been stripped
down is really just because ofthe type of society they were
looking to build, which is onethat built a very strong
(16:42):
capitalistic one.
And you know what?
If people were just morecommunity-based and felt like
they didn't need to do as muchto survive you wouldn't be able
to build that type of society.
So it's really trying to bringit back because- we can tell
that obviously this way of lifedoes really hurt people and it's
(17:05):
not sustainable.
And a lot of the means ofpeople trying to find community
and therapy is still notworking.
I believe in going to therapyand such, but I know lots of
people that come to Alcove andbe like, this is my therapy,
just coming to listen to musicand seeing people.
And it makes me feel lesslonely, right?
Like going to a therapy.
(17:26):
Like that, that might help digthrough your problems, you know,
help you navigate issues.
But once that one hourconversation is done, where's
your community where you canactually just hang out and talk
to and maybe not about yourlife, but just be as a human and
feel like you're seen and aliveand cared for.
So,
Lauren (17:45):
yeah.
And I also think it's likeright when.
when you're not someone who isnecessarily ingrained art making
in your life on a daily basisor on a regular basis, it kind
of hits you in the face howtherapeutic it is.
You know, Lisa and I talk abouthow we take it for granted, the
benefits of art.
And we're constantly remindingourselves that it's not part of
(18:09):
everybody's vocabulary.
And that's why we have theseconversations, not only to
remind ourselves, but also to tokeep the conversation going
because it still needs to happenbecause we don't live in a
world where it's okay to take anhour out of your work day to
walk in nature or draw somethingor listen to the, you know, the
(18:30):
music of nature.
I don't know, paint with yourcoworker, which I mean, imagine
how cool that would be.
So I'm just going to keeptalking about it, you know?
And I think that also, likeLisa mentioned earlier in the
conversation about there's thissense of vulnerability across
the table.
I also think that is somethingthat only exists because we're
(18:55):
not a community that connectsacross an art table very often.
You wouldn't feel vulnerable ifyou were doing it all the time.
It would feel, I mean, I thinkit would feel like right.
It would just feel normal.
Wouldn't that be great ifsitting at your...
I love the idea.
(19:16):
I like art centers because youmentioned sports.
There's public parks that arededicated to sports playing,
which is also a great way toconnect with your community.
I love the notion of thecommunity center is that as
well.
It's this place that thecommunity can go to and connect
in that way.
And it's really about givingpeople the opportunity to
(19:39):
discover how they can connectwith one another.
And I think it's even morevital than we maybe even realize
right now, because it's like, Idon't know how you're feeling,
but I'm feeling a lot wherethere's just like, we're just
getting more separate, separate,separate.
And we almost have to fight tobe more connected right now for
(20:02):
lots of reasons.
that we would probably not havetime to go into.
Bethel (20:06):
For sure.
And sports is a big examplebecause I was inspired by YMCA
to build Alcova as well.
I volunteered there for most ofmy teen years.
And even though I didn't reallyconsider myself an athlete, I
did feel welcomed and lowbarrier to like play basketball
there or swim or something likethat.
and um it was one of thoseplaces where it's like yeah you
(20:29):
can drop in and it's likethere's an elliptical and
different equipment for you touse so the idea was like every
time we hear about arecreational center opening up
our mind specifically goes to ohit's a sports place but now
that's why we call ourselves arecreational art space because
this is arts for recreation aswell.
(20:50):
And it's really definitelymodeled by, inspired by like
YMCA of like, you can come in,like we don't have memberships
or anything, not necessarily.
So like you can just drop induring our hours and just like
how YMCA is different sportsequipment.
We have different artsequipment and just like how they
have classes.
We have classes and just likethey have sometimes events, we
(21:10):
have events, you know?
So that was how we were tryingto get people to envision this
space when we were still openingup or like, it's like the YMCA
for arts like but where becauseI know YMCA also has an arts
branch but yeah is that thelarger model of the sports is
actually the arts
Lauren (21:29):
yeah yeah that's awesome
Lisa (21:32):
it's wonderful any other insights on how art is a bridge
and then let our audience knowhow they can connect with you
and maybe open an art center intheir community if they have the
means
Bethel (21:47):
oh yeah oh yeah So art as a bridge is just, you know,
we see it in our day-to-daylife.
Art is definitely the bridge tomaking connections to
understanding, to sharingculture.
I think I'll leave it at that.
And with that said, if you wantto connect with us, you could
(22:12):
always check out our website,which is Alcove Arts Center.
That's A-L-C-O-V-Eartscenter.ca.
So that's our website.
Or you can check us out atAlcove Arts Center on Instagram.
And if you want to ever visitour center, we are located in
(22:34):
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, justup north, but also very close to
the south of the border, justlike three, four hours away from
the Montana border if you'redriving.
Love it.
so that's where we're locatedand if you ever want to open up
(22:56):
an art center and you don't knowwhere to start I'd say start
small and also the way that weframed opening up our art center
is a way to revitalize vacantcommercial spaces that was hard
to find so that's actually solike right now we pay you know
just for people to understand wepay like Below market rate,
(23:19):
because the idea is that we areactivating a space that would
have otherwise sat vacant.
So it's not only solving theproblem of like community and
arts, but it's also trying tonavigate and build up buildings
that would essentially just besitting there vacant.
That would be.
you know, a hole in thedowntown and we're just bringing
(23:41):
life to it, you know?
So I think that for us, westarted with pop-ups and really
was able to establish ourconcept by doing pop-ups.
And then we were able to dopop-ups in commercial spaces.
So we showed like before andafter pictures of what those
commercial spaces look like.
And then we were able to sign atemporary lease by those
(24:04):
examples we were able to bring.
So I'd always tell people, youknow, if you're trying to do
something and you're trying tostart something, you know,
opening up a space overnightisn't really feasible, but doing
something once a month mightbe, you know, doing something
once a quarter and building itout.
Because we started with hostingan event called Raw Voices once
a month.
And that started eight and ahalf years ago.
(24:25):
And that started.
And then we wrote a businessplan like four years ago.
And then we started doingpop-ups in 2021.
And then we got this space in2023.
So, you know, you really justgot to trust the process and you
just got to let time also doits thing.
And you also just got to feelconfident in yourself that you
can take on something.
Right.
And so by starting small and byoutgrowing those things and
(24:49):
feeling confident in thosethings will help you get to the
next step.
But if you live in a city wherespace is an issue, like spaces,
there's lots of vacant, emptyspaces, you know, start talking
to, you know, your city councilor start building those
relationships now and plantingthose seeds while doing smaller
things, because when the timecomes, they'll know who to call.
(25:09):
So I always do believe in, youknow, you plant those seeds in
hopes that maybe five years downthe line, something will
happen.
You things don't happenquickly.
So, and good things don't comefast either.
So you just gotta take time.
Love it.
Thank you so much for takingthe time to chat with us today.
(25:30):
Yeah.
Thank you for inviting me.
Yeah.
Where can I find this podcast?
Like where does this getposted?
Yeah,
Lauren (25:37):
I will put it on our website and then
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