Hope Anderson opened The Well to support arts and culture in Victoria two years ago. Now that the community space is in financial trouble, local artists are returning the favour.
Artists, musicians, poets and other creative types will descend on the Fort Street marketplace and café for a fundraising party Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door.
"I think it's a very good effort to provide connections for the community and provide a venue for arts and wellness," Jennie Keeran said, who has used the space as part of a discussion group called Philosopher's Café.
The Well - an integrated market on Fort Street that features a healthy-options café, grocery section, bookstore and more - regularly hosts book launches, visual art openings, poetry readings, plays and concerts.
"Its role is to encourage our community to look at change from the inside out," Anderson said. "As we say, we focus on the spirit, body and mind."
But the business got into financial trouble in the spring of 2011 when it lost a tenant who was expected to sub-let four of the six units above The Well. Anderson has since found replacements.
But combined with a rent increase, it's left The Well facing a shortfall of $15,000, which it must meet before the end of the month, he said. One donor has promised $5,000 in matching funds if others support the project.
Performers at the fundraiser include Lonnie Glass, Michael Majocha, Gord Oliphant, Peter Brunette, Sherri Lynne Hooper, Ed Bachmeier, Kaya Fraser, Dom Graham, Sheila Tranfield, Harbour's End, Zinnia, Greg Hofstad, Laura Cave, Carol Sokoloff, Linda Rogers, Marilyn Bowering, Carmen Marlene, Dvorka Levin and more.
Anderson is in the process of restructuring The Well to become a not-for-profit, community-run society. Other plans for the coming year include offering a series of wellness and health workshops, and expanding the Spirit of Canada Contest to the rest of the country, after two years of submissions from local singer song writers, poets and spoken word performers.
This year's winners, announced earlier this month, will receive their prizes at Sunday's fundraiser.
