Members of Artisans on Main make another pitch to Three Rivers council

MONTAGUE, P.E.I. — A local arts co-operative has painted a clearer picture of the group’s finances in hopes of securing more council support.
Members of Artisans on Main (AOM) addressed Three Rivers councillors during the last committee of council meeting and requested a pledge of support for arts in the community.
During the prior June meeting, council opted to grant the group $1,000 in funding for the year, less than half of the $2,500 previously received during the group’s initial five years, after councillors questioned where the profit was going.
Volunteer business manager and former AOM chair Lynn Nimtz cleared up those questions.
Nimtz was set to retire from her position this year and said the hope was to use the group’s profits to hire a part-time manager from May to October for about $10,000.
“We need a person to take on this very important job,” said Nimtz. “When I looked at the possibility of trying to get someone trained in time for this year, I realized that wasn’t going to happen. It would take too much time.”
Instead, Nimtz decided to stay on one more year as a volunteer. Along with many other AOM board members, she is set to retire after this season.
Concerns around about $1,200 in entertainment expenses were also addressed as Nimtz said that money was from a Scotiabank grant and was used for solo shows showcasing local artists, a high school art show, chamber mixer and food for the end-of-year member potluck.
She said other factors, including the reduced grant from the municipality, a slow start to the season and a $2,500 reduction in another grant (which will instead go towards to Points East Plein Air Festival) have also impacted the group.
“The stress on our budget this year is quite obvious,” said Nimtz. “We did tighten up our belts, there are no solo shows this year and we’re not putting out any additional money beyond what we need to keep our doors open and pay our normal operating expenses.”
The group, comprised mostly of seniors and reliant on volunteers, sells artwork from about 41 members and receives a commission that ranges from 20 to 37 per cent while additional profit goes into typical operating expenses. Last year saw about $80,000 in sales, with the majority going back to the artists.
While the group has grown through its existence, council heard how its current lease at Water Street is set to expire at the end of this year. 
It’s unsure whether the landlord will offer to resign the lease, and media co-ordinator Lorraine Vatcher said the group needs to know where its new home would be by the end of September if it hopes to operate next year.
She said the group wants to continue, pointing to the co-op’s shared benefit of bringing customers to the area.
“We, as a group, want for Three Rivers not just to exist but to thrive, just as we wanted Montague to thrive and we have certainly tried to prove our worth,” said Vatcher.
Carla Morgan, who chairs the group, said they want to find a permanent home.
“We want something lasting,” said Morgan, adding that support from the council was not limited to funding.
“If we go ahead and we’re working on being alive next year, we want to be able to come to the town and say ‘we’ve got this organized,’ will you support us?”
Although the meeting did not see council change the amount of money it was granting to the group this year, Mayor Ed MacAulay said he felt the arts community was without question an important aspect of Three Rivers.
“You certainly put an awful lot of dedication, effort and love into your work,” said MacAulay.