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The McTavish Academy of Art in North Saanich is celebrating its first birthday, and you’re invited

Just one short year ago it was a vacant school; today it’s a space for creativity and the living arts.
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In the short year the McTavish Academy of Art (MAOA) has been around it has provided people with art, music, yoga, dance, mindfulness, creative expression and sustainable agriculture through classes, workshops and events made accessible to all ages. (Alisa Howlett/News staff)

Just one short year ago it was a vacant school; today it’s a space for creativity and the living arts.

Co-founders Sean McNeill and Lucas Copplestone, both raised on the Saanich Peninsula, transformed what was once the McTavish Road School into a space for creativity on a variety of levels. The McTavish Academy of Art (MAOA) is a place of art, music, yoga, dance, mindfulness, creative expression and sustainable agriculture and these avenues are made accessible to all ages through classes, workshops and events.

Looking back on the first year McNeill says the overwhelming support from the community fueled their growth.

“It’s been an incredible year of transformation – coming here a year ago, taking this space. Friends and community came together to bring this space back to life,” McNeill says. “It’s been a long, hard and fulfilling year. It’s the support that has kept us going to take us where we wanted to take it.”

Some of that support comes from local artist David Halliwell.

“There wasn’t really a gallery in town that was right, or felt right – that was receptive,” Halliwell says. “I’ve been a lifetime artist and fine arts teacher – I couldn’t believe it, that they were building an arts academy in my own neighbourhood.”

Since Halliwell first heard of the plans to upcycle the former school he has been volunteering with MAOA. His latest involvement had him painting the walls of the gallery – and not in an artsy way, just your standard coat of paint with a roller and brush.

“I have a retrospective art show coming up in the gallery and I prepared the gallery and walls where I’m going to be hanging my work,” he says with a laugh.

Halliwell also teaches life drawing classes at MAOA.

“It’s been home to a lot of creative ideas and it has been great to have a space for people to share their art or their passions without judgment – that’s been a really neat piece of it,” McNeill says.

Halliwell, who has also taught art therapy, says the new art space has been much needed, along with creative expression.

“They’re providing another creative outlet in the community and creative expression in its many mediums is good for the soul. It’s very much downsized and poo-pooed in the education system, but it’s very much important … People are starting to discover the true value of creative expression and it’s starting to wake people up a bit and get them involved.”

McNeill says they’ve got a lot on their plate for the next year at MAOA, but it’s worth it to be able to bring everyone together in the arts.

“We’ve really set the foundation now in here with the pieces that we’ve worked on. Over the last month or so we’ve really worked on growing our community connections. We really look forward to that side of growing existing programs, bringing more on and looking for new teachers,” says McNeill.

The McTavish Academy of Art is celebrating its one-year anniversary on Saturday, June 10 with a family-friendly birthday party. There will be food and drinks, along with live bands and DJs, as well as outdoor games and various art stations. Admission is free. The birthday party runs from 3 to 5 p.m. at the McTavish Academy of Art, 1720 McTavish Rd., North Saanich.