Press Release: Turret Arts Space Calls for Transparency and Accountability Following HRM Decision to Deny Funding and Initiate Repurchase of 1588 Barrington Street

Halifax, Nova Scotia - On November 21, 2025, Halifax Regional Municipality staff notified Turret Arts Space Society that Turret’s funding request, as presented to Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee (CPED) on March 20, 2025, was considered by Halifax Regional Council at its in-camera session on November 18, 2025, and was denied in full. On November 26, 2025, HRM legal counsel notified Turret of the municipality’s intent to repurchase 1588 Barrington Street for $1.00.  

These actions mark a significant and unexpected departure from a decade of collaborative planning between Turret and the Halifax Regional Municipality. Turret calls on HRM to release the confidential staff report on the Turret Arts Space, to halt the buy-back of 1588 Barrington Street, and to support the Turret Arts Space redevelopment and stewardship of the Queer heritage of 1588 Barrington Street. 

Currently, Turret is waiting to hear the results of a multi-million-dollar application to Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada, through the Green and Inclusive Community Building Fund. Member of Parliament for Halifax, Shannon Miedema, issued a public letter of support for the federal funding request on October 7, 2025. 

QUOTATIONS: 

“For 11 years, Turret has developed this project in close dialogue with the municipality,” says Sobaz Benjamin, Turret Arts Space Society President, “HRM’s abrupt reversal on a project of this cultural magnitude is deeply disappointing and raises pressing questions about the municipality’s commitments to its own cultural development priorities.”

“HRM’s decision and confidential staff report undermine the years of transparent, community-driven work by the Turret volunteers,” says Emily Davidson, Turret Arts Space Society Board member, “Community members put tens of thousands of volunteer hours to create a landmark public space—to learn, after the fact, that such a consequential decision was made behind closed doors is profoundly concerning for civic accountability.”  

“The Queer history and arts legacy of 1588 Barrington Street is site-specific and irreplaceable,” says Brit Fox, Turret Arts Space Society Vice President, “The building is at the heart of our plans to publicly interpret and celebrate the legacy of the Gay Alliance for Equality and the Turret Club, including making 1588 Barrington the first designated Queer Heritage site in Canada.”

“The building is historically significant on a regional and national scale for gay, lesbian, and queer history,” says Emerald “Ezzie” Gibson, Turret Arts Space Society Board member, and former member of GAE and owner of Alternate Bookstore, “For example, 1588 Barrington Street was the site of the first Atlantic Gay Conference for Lesbians and Gay Men in 1977, which drew attendees from across Canada and Maine.” 

“As we watch more businesses shutter on Barrington Street, HRM should capitalize on the chance to invest in the cultural and economic revitalization opportunity expertly laid out in Turret’s 2024 Impact Strategy Report,” says Alexis Cormier, Turret Redevelopment Project Manager, “The move to end Turret’s ownership and stewardship of the building disregards the desperate need for cultural venues, which has been cited in HRM’s own reports, and by Downtown Halifax Business Commission and Discover Halifax.” 

“This abrupt decision speaks loudly to the Halifax population that grassroots advocacy is still needed in place of due process," says Artistic Director Mireille Bourgeois on behalf of IOTA Studios, “Projects like the Turret Art Space are now more important than ever to preserve our city’s spaces for queer heritage, arts and culture.”

“HRM’s decision also places our Anchor Tenant Partners—The Khyber Centre for the Arts and Leave Out Violence Nova Scotia—in an extremely difficult position,” adds Sobaz Benjamin, Turret Arts Space Society President, “Our community partners committed to this project in good faith based on HRM’s participation over the past decade. The repercussions of this decision extend far beyond our organization and into the broader arts, youth, and anti-violence communities.”

Backgrounder:

In November 2018, Turret Arts Space Society (then 1588 Barrington Building Preservation Society) purchased 1588 Barrington Street from Halifax Regional Municipality for $1.00 for the purpose of redeveloping the site as a multipurpose arts and community space. At the time of the sale, HRM also committed funding of $25,000 toward immediate building holding costs and $225,000 towards hazardous materials abatement. 

Turret’s first phase of redevelopment, Phase 1: Planning, Design, and Abatement, was funded by all levels of government with the HRM contribution amounting to approximately one quarter of the $950,000 of funding. Turret successfully completed Phase 1 in early 2024 and delivered a full technical and strategic report to municipal, provincial and federal stakeholders on March 6, 2024 outlining the redevelopment plan, costs, economic impact, and next steps. 

Turret’s Impact Strategy (2024) aligns with HRM’s cultural and economic strategies, including SHARING OUR STORIES (The Halifax Regional Municipality's Culture and Heritage Priorities Plan 2023), People.Planet.Prosperity (Halifax's Inclusive Economic Strategy 2022-27), Halifax Regional Integrated Tourism Master Plan 2021 (HRM, ACOA, Discover Halifax), targeting the critical issues outlined in HRM’s Performing & Visual Arts Venues Study (2024). Turret’s Impact Strategy is officially supported by Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Discover Halifax, and the Association of Nova Scotia Museums. 

On March 20, 2025, Turret made a request for $1.5 million in capital funding and proposed an ongoing partnership with Halifax Regional Municipality at the Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee (CPED). CPED Standing Committee voted to request a staff report addressing options for municipal support, including funding, to Turret Arts Space Society to contribute to their project of restoring 1588 Barrington Street. Turret was informed that due process entailed a period of six months to complete the staff report, after which the report would be presented to CPED Standing Committee, and then to Halifax Regional Council.

On November 21, 2025, HRM staff notified Turret that the staff report was confidential and had been presented to Halifax Regional Council in an in-camera (confidential) meeting on November 18, 2025. HRM staff also notified the Turret that the request for funding and partnership was denied in full by Halifax Regional Council. Turret was not provided the opportunity to read the staff report or present justification to Council.

The Turret was notified by HRM legal counsel on November 26, 2025 of the municipality’s intent to repurchase 1588 Barrington Street for $1.00, under the 2018 Agreement of Purchase and Sale and Buy-Back Agreement between HRM and Turret.