The Bateman Gallery bids farewell after a decade in Victoria’s inner harbour

The Bateman Gallery bids farewell after a decade in Victoria's inner harbour
CHEK

After a decade of displaying the famous naturalist painters art in downtown Victoria, the Bateman Gallery is shutting its doors.

Saturday, Feb. 18., the public is invited, free of admission, to enjoy the final day of the Robert Bateman Gallery. The renown artist himself will be present, offering autographs between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

The gallery has been occupying the Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Terminal in the Victoria Harbour since 2012, and is regarded as a staple in the downtown tourism industry.

According to the announcement put out by the Bateman Foundation yesterday, Feb. 17, the foundation had begun the year with high hopes after several years of pandemic related set-backs but several “compounded challenges have created an untenable situation to recover from the post-pandemic landscape and rising operation costs.”

“Unfortunately, our situation is not uncommon,” said David Schneider, Chair of the Bateman Foundation. “It is disheartening to see that many arts and culture organizations are in the same boat – struggling to survive because of funding cuts, depleted donors, and limited government support and options.”

He said he hopes that the closure of the Bateman Gallery will sound the alarm to the community that cultural and artistic spaces must be prioritized for funding and protection.

For more information on the gallery, its exhibitions, and its future, visit their website at  https://batemanfoundation.org/gallery/

RELATED: Victoria’s Bateman Gallery plans to temporarily close, trade spaces with Maritime Museum of BC

 

Roger CollinsRoger Collins

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