The Khyber
historic building in Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Khyber Centre for the Arts (est. 1995) is a queer-led artist-run centre located in downtown Halifax NS. The centre presents non-commercial artwork, offers a self-led platform for artists and their practices, and aims to disrupt systemic causes of exclusion, tokenism, and power imbalances in the arts. The centre is currently located at 1880 Hollis St.
History
The Khyber was born at 1588 Barrington Street, a registered Historical Property previously owned by the Halifax Regional Municipality. 1588 Barrington Street was originally erected as The Church of England Institute in 1888. It was designed by architect Henry Busch in the Victorian style with Gothic Revival features. The building was commissioned by Bishop Hibbert Binney. Other buildings designed by Busch in Halifax include the Halifax Academy and the Halifax Public Gardens Bandstand.
In 1994, the City of Halifax put out an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the building, but only received a few offers. Its current tenants helped form the Arts Centre Project Society in order to secure the building as an arts centre.
The public source identifies “The Khyber” as historic building in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Khyber, historic and building.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “The Khyber”, the useful work is to connect “historic building in Halifax, Nova Scotia” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 9, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7744197. Authority coordinates are 44.646, -63.573. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1995, 1880, 1588 and 1888.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “The Khyber”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow The Khyber primary sources, The Khyber archive and Khyber research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “The Khyber”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “The Khyber” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.