Guild offers 'free-hearsal' space to artists

The Guild in Charlottetown is offering free rehearsal space for Island artists, something that wasn't available before.

The Guild, a facility dedicated to the support of emerging and established Island artists, calls it 'free-hearsal' space. The stage will be available on different days of the week and anyone can sign up.

"There was a real lack of rehearsal space for them and we decided, in business, when we're already here, and if the performance hall is not in use, then they can come to TheGuild and use the performance hall free of charge," said Ghislane O'Hanley, executive director of The Guild. "There's no technical support provided. It's basically come in, plug in, rehearse for the time you need to, then clean up and go away."

O'Hanley said it's the Guild's mandate to support Island artists.

"It's my goal to reach out to that community and say, 'Why don't you come to the Guild and practice here? And help grow in your talent and then you can go and play other places and go from here. For us it's just to foster their talent," said O'Hanley.

Musician Chaz Guay may have been in the business for the last coupleofdecades, but he has still been rehearsing at someone's house in the country.

"We just want to go through the songs and have a place to rehearse," said Guay. "We don't have to pay for it, which is great. I mean, who wants to pay rent?"

So far, six groups have booked the space.