Prince Edward Island needs a post-secondary arts school in order to renew an aging population of artists, says a new study.

'You're probably going to set up your career where you studied.'— Greg Doran, P.E.I. Council of the Arts

Support for a new centre is shown in the P.E.I. Council of the Arts study, but getting support from the province is proving to be difficult.

Like many industries on the Island, the arts suffer from young talent moving away to work in other places. Peggy Reddin of Dance Umbrella has been teaching dance for 25 years, and she told CBC News Tuesday that too often she has to watch her students leave the Island if they want to study beyond high school.

"Montreal would be the closest, a lot end up in Toronto," said Reddin.

"If you look at the young company that we had last year, that's 14 students, all of whom were pursuing post-secondary training. The challenge is that we want them to come back."

Arts council chair Greg Doran said that doesn't happen often enough, and as a result the Island arts community is aging.

"You're probably going to set up your career where you studied, because there's likely a community there," said Doran.

"If you provide a cultured area, you will draw people to work here."

Doran said a centre would also help co-ordinate arts activities across the province.

The arts study was sponsored by Carolyn Bertram, who was culture minister last fall. But there was a cabinet shuffle, and Doran says nothing has come from meeting with the new minister, Robert Vessey.

Provincial officials said the study is being taken into consideration. Doran said the council will keep pushing the government on the issue.