Arts groups breathing easier after $6 million lifeline, larger capacity limits announced

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This article was published 02/02/2022 (1372 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

News of a $6 million injection into Manitoba’s pandemic-battered arts and culture sector and eased indoor-venue capacity restrictions next week earned rave reviews Wednesday from the leaders of several of the suffering organizations.

Premier Heather Stefanson announced changes to public-health orders beginning next Tuesday that include capping attendance at performing arts events at 50 per cent of a venue’s capacity with proof of immunization required for all.

Current restrictions limit attendance to 50 per cent capacity or 250 people, whichever is less.

“It’s very good news; it’s good to have a government that keeps the arts and culture sector in mind,” said Larry Desrochers, Manitoba Opera’s general director and chief executive officer.

“That 250 capacity made it really difficult to produce a show of any size.”

A swath of arts events in Winnipeg and across Manitoba scheduled for the first four months of 2022 have been cancelled or postponed because of the capacity restrictions that made them financially unfeasible.

Among them was Manitoba Opera’s production of La Cenerentola, scheduled for April at the 2,303-seat Centennial Concert Hall, which the company postponed until its 2022-23 season.

The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and Prairie Theatre Exchange ended lengthy shutdowns in November and December by producing the plays Orlando and The War Being Waged, respectively, by following tight COVID-19 protocols and allowing only 50 per cent attendance at their theatres.

But the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron strain and the tighter health restrictions that followed an explosion of cases several weeks ago forced the cancellations of February and March productions.

The province announced $6 million in new funding allocated to the Arts and Culture Sustainability Program to support organizations negatively affected by COVID-19 and public-health order restrictions.

“(The announcement) is really heartening because we are planning for next season, and planning for the (Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival) is rolling,” said Camilla Holland, executive director of the RMTC, which produces the festival, scheduled for July 13-24.

Lynne Skromeda, executive director of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, called the funding announcement “wonderful news,” as the organization continues plans for the event’s return July 7-10 at Birds Hill Provincial Park.

If the folk fest qualifies for funding, which will be looked after by the Manitoba Arts Council and Manitoba Film and Music, two provincial Crown agencies, it could recoup losses incurred after cancelling several fundraising concerts in the past year.

“My mantra around the office is, ‘Keep your eye on the prize.’ There’s a high level optimism here,” Skromeda said.

Alan.Small@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @AlanDSmall