WEYBURN - A new artist hub will soon open in downtown Weyburn, with Krystal Glowatski from Olive’s Branch Art Studio and Malia Brackpool from Little House on the Corner joining forces to bring many different artists and projects together in the new CollabARTive Studios.
Located at 104 Third Street in the hub of downtown, CollabARTive Studios will offer workshops, take-and-make kits, and the opportunity for other local artists, authors and makers who are looking for an affordable studio space of their own.
“Malia and I actually met for the first time in September, because I messaged her to see if she had any feather stencils for the Truth and Reconciliation Event that Olive’s Branch was hosting. After trying to find some stencils, I contacted her to see if she had any she could lend me, and she offered to make the stencils for the workshop,” explained Glowatski.
The next time the two met was during a BizTalk Event, which brought together other local makers who wanted to learn more about creating a business. After learning about different strategies, and trouble-shooting from other people in the community, Glowatski and Brackpool felt that their dream of a shared studio space was worth chasing.
“I had been collaborating with other artists for a few months, before meeting Krystal, and that was always a passion of mine. I loved coming together with other makers and creating workshops for other people to enjoy,” said Brackpool. “I think with COVID and the regulations, these workshops were a way to get people out of the house and get to do something fun.”
“The space that I was in ended up going up for sale, and I ended up talking to Krystal and it just happened at the right time,” laughed Brackpool.
“It happened so fast,” agreed Glowatski. “Malia messaged me and asked if there was any studio space at Signal Hill, where Olive’s Branch was located. The next thing, we were on the phone together, and right after that someone else messaged us to let us know that the space underneath the radio station was available.”
“A week later, we were starting this business together,” Glowatski added. “It was just boom, boom, boom, and it aligned nicely.”
One of the goals of CollabARTive Studios is to be a welcoming space for any artists who want to work on projects, offer workshops, and there is even potential to work with the many businesses downtown.
“One thing that is really awesome about Weyburn is that we have such a big artist community, there is so much support in the community,” said Glowatski. “I truly believe that if we all work together, we can all succeed in achieving our dreams a lot faster, and get a lot further, than trying to do it on our own.”
Artists will have an opportunity to rent studio space, with new cabinetry and countertops and project spaces that are available on a minimum one-month basis, or even just little cubbyholes where people can keep their supplies if they are looking for less commitment.
“We were looking to get other people on board, who are similar to us in that they want to chase their dream and make their craft into their career,” said Glowatski.
“It is about creating a community feel, where it is very supportive.”
“We help other artists to succeed, and to have a space they can use,” said Brackpool.
One of the greatest supports to chase their dreams was funding for a start-up business from Community Futures (CF) Sunrise, along with their support and advice.
“Theresa LaFoy was absolutely amazing to us,” said Glowatski. “She was just very helpful during the whole process.”
The goal is to do a soft launch of the business on April 1, with a grand opening scheduled in May. In addition to sharing CollabARTive Studios, both Glowatski and Brackpool will still be running their own businesses, so the projects they have offered before will continue.
One of the goals of the new art space is to offer more workshops and monthly art menus available to the public to enjoy.
There are also opportunities to have catering brought into a workshop, or the studio space itself, as both Flatland Catering and Domesticated Caker have indicated interest in being included in the new community space.
Part of their space will include a nice little coffee corner, where people can sit and enjoy a visit, and have some me time. Down the road, they will also offer open mic nights for aspiring, local musicians.
For more information on CollabARTive Studios, or to inquire about becoming a part of CollabARTive Studios, check out their Facebook page, or visit Olive’s Branch Art Studio or Little House on the Corner on Facebook.
