Halifax doctor’s donation helps north-end arts centre secure permanent home

RadStorm, a Halifax arts centre run as a collective, has recently received a substantial donation that will ensure its continued existence well into the future. The collective, which has been fundraising to purchase the building it calls home on Gottingen Street, announced that they have reached their goal thanks to a generous contribution from Bob Fredrickson, a longtime pillar of Halifax’s queer community. The purchase was also supported by community donations and a one-time contribution of $100,000 from the Halifax Regional Municipality.

“It’s kind of unreal,” said Lucas Goudie, a member and volunteer at RadStorm. “I can’t think of another art space in the country that is in this kind of position. It’s protection from a lot of the economic and cultural forces that have been pushing against us for quite a while.”

RadStorm, which has existed since 2003 and moved to Gottingen Street in 2018, is a rare space in a rapidly changing Halifax that has seen the closure of numerous venues and all-ages spaces in recent years. Fredrickson, a retired primary care physician who worked with HIV/AIDS patients during the pandemic, wanted to give back to Halifax with his donation.

RadStorm is home to three collectives: SadRad, which hosts all-ages shows and workshops, Anchor Archive Zine Library, which has over 5,000 self-published magazines, and InkStorm, which offers public access to screenprinting equipment. Fredrickson was reminded of his early days in Halifax when he first visited the space, reflecting on the sense of community and resilience that he sees in the collective.

“It’s neat to see the younger people having the same kind of energy we had back in the day,” Fredrickson said. To celebrate the building purchase, RadStorm will host a party with live music, food, and tours of the building.

For those who have made RadStorm their home-away-from-home, the purchase of the building ensures that they will have a space to continue creating and connecting with others in the community. It is a small site of resistance in a changing city, providing a place for artists and creators to thrive.