The Saint John Arts Centre is housed in a historic landmark in the City of Saint John. Originally constructed in 1904 with funding from American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Of the more than 2,500 libraries Carnegie funded worldwide, many have been lost to urban renewal, and the Carnegie Building in Saint John is one of the few remaining in Canada outside Ontario.
Designed in the Beaux-Arts style by local architect G. Ernest Fairweather, the building features intricate masonry work by Robert Maxwell, a Saint John City alderman who later became a Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. One of its most stunning features, a stained-glass skylight designed by Frank Reardon of Halifax, was hidden by a dropped ceiling for years before being rediscovered and restored to its place over the rotunda-style foyer in 1985. The original mosaic flooring, crafted with imported tiles from Minton Hollins in England, remains a highlight of the building’s design.
Modern additions to the building include a historically accurate mural of Delancey’s Brigade by internationally renowned Saint John artist Fred Ross, a Bicentennial Quilt hand-embroidered by Myrna London and Donna Holland depicting 200 years of women’s fashion, and two stained-glass windows designed by Douglas McKiel and crafted by Frans Cuppens to commemorate the Saint John Bicentennial and the Canada Summer Games of 1985.
While the interior has been adapted to accommodate visual art exhibitions, great care has been taken to preserve the original oak woodwork and fixtures. The gallery spaces boast excellent acoustics, making them ideal for concerts and recitals. The Saint John Arts Centre continues to present art, music, literature, and cultural events within this beautiful heritage setting.
The Carnegie Building, originally home to the Saint John Free Public Library, was established in 1883 and funded by a $50,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. Born in 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland, Carnegie immigrated to the United States in 1848. After making his first fortune in the oil industry, he founded Carnegie Steel Company in 1892, which he later sold to J.P. Morgan in 1901 for $490 million. Devoted to philanthropy, Carnegie funded the construction of 125 libraries across Canada, with the Saint John Free Public Library being the only one built east of Ottawa.
The original Saint John Free Public Library, housing 14,000 books, had occupied inadequate rental spaces since 1883. Recognizing this, Saint John Mayor Dr. John Waterhouse Daniel personally wrote to Carnegie, requesting financial assistance for a new library. Carnegie agreed to fund up to ten times the city’s pledged support, provided that a suitable site was found and the city guaranteed its maintenance. A design competition in 1902 attracted submissions from Canada and the U.S., with the winning design by G. Ernest Fairweather selected over a New York entry that proposed using white limestone, unsuitable for Saint John’s industrial environment.
The Carnegie Building served as the Saint John Free Public Library until 1983, when the library moved to the new Market Square complex. The building was then transferred to the City of Saint John and refurbished as part of the city’s bicentennial celebrations. With a $1 million grant from Lady Violet Aitken and the Canadian Beaverbrook Foundation, the space was transformed into the Aitken Bicentennial Exhibition Centre (ABEC), which opened in May 1985. The ABEC became a beloved destination for families and school groups, featuring interactive exhibits such as a talking robot, a miniature CanadArm, and ScienceScape, the only interactive science exhibit in Atlantic Canada at the time.
Budget constraints led to the closure of the ABEC in 2001. However, a dedicated group of volunteers petitioned the City of Saint John to reopen the building as the Saint John Arts Centre in 2002. Initially granted permission for one year, the mandate was extended multiple times, culminating in a four-year renewal in 2004.
Today, the Carnegie Building remains home to the Saint John Arts Centre, a multidisciplinary cultural hub that offers art exhibits, workshops, artist talks, and classes. The centre also hosts concerts, plays, and private fundraisers, ensuring that this historic building continues to serve as a vibrant focal point for arts and culture in the community.
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