What's Happening in Regina, SK…

A group of local artists has taken over a once-abandoned Regina warehouse and is intent on making it a collaborative display space for visual art.

The new area, called simply The Arts, is the brainchild of Bruno Hernani and Roberto Lopez Lopez. Together with other local artists, they have decorated the once-drab warehouse space with painting and other types of art. For example, a once-staid pillar is now adorned by a colourful lizard, which Regina artist Christian Barreno says was inspired by his Latin-American heritage.

The Arts still is yet to complete, however, as Hernani and Lopez Lopez have big plans for the space. They want it to eventually include art workshops, galleries, studios and vendors. On April 7, The Arts hosted a fundraising events for just these ambitions. Similar art spaces provide a hub for the local community, often advertising their services or events with vibrant poster printing and banner printing. The creativity gathered at The Arts could eventually spread striking images around the city.

The gallery space is located next to the Centennial Market on Broad Street. The market has been another example of revitalization in Regina, transforming an abandoned Sears store into a market for small businesses with around 200 vendors. There could be significant synergy between the two spaces, with the south end of the market now decorated by a large dragon painted by Hernani.