TAKE BACK THE TURRET
The Fine Print: Pledge donations are automatically charged to the method of payment entered and held in trust by Turret Arts Space Society during the campaign period. Donations will be returned to donors in the event that Halifax Regional Municipality repurchases, expropriates, or otherwise regains ownership of 1588 Barrington Street, Halifax. If the campaign is a success, donations will be converted to irrevocable, tax-receipted donations to Turret Arts Space Society and donors will be sent a charitable tax receipt to the email provided at the time of the pledge.
Pledge to the Turret
Take Back the Turret is a community coalition-led campaign to stop Halifax Regional Municipality from repurchasing 1588 Barrington Street from Turret Arts Space Society.
In November 2025, Halifax Regional Council voted to repurchase 1588 Barrington Street from Turret Arts Space Society and to declare the property surplus and initiate a disposal strategy for the property. The report by HRM Staff on which Council made its decision seriously misrepresents the competency and viability of the Turret Arts Space redevelopment plan and is disrespectful of the broad coalition of community and arts groups who came together around it. In particular, many in the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are outraged and deeply alarmed at Council’s cavalier treatment of a site with profound historical meaning for Queer and Trans+ people, both locally and nationally. HRM has acted in bad faith, issuing reports on the need for arts venues and 2SLGBTQIA+ heritage co-creation with no mechanisms to support their own recommendations, all while cutting arts funding and attacking community-led development.
It’s time for real community ownership of 1588 Barrington Street
Although HRM “sold” the building to Turret Arts Space in November 2018, the “strings attached” mean that HRM may, at its discretion, buy back the building for the original below market sale rate of one dollar. For the last seven years, Turret Arts Space has been burdened by the risks and costs of building ownership without the equity of the property to borrow funds against or leverage other investments. It’s time for HRM to back off and stop blocking the successful redevelopment of 1588 Barrington Street.
Your pledge builds community power
HRM will repurchase 1588 Barrington Street and turn around to sell it to private developer unless we build enough community power to sway Council to stop repurchasing it from Turret Arts Space. Every dollar pledged builds leverage to keep 1588 Barrington Street in community hands. The Turret is vital and HRM has proved they won’t protect it.