Steinbach celebrates legacy at arts gala

The legacy of 45 years of the SAC (Steinbach Arts Council) was celebrated at Bentwood Hall on May 2, highlighting local support and asking for more support for future endeavors.

Local businesses had a hand in much of the evening with even the dinner having a local connection. The meal was prepared by SAC culinary instructor Cassandra Kornelsen.

Executive Director David Klassen explained that although SAC has existed for 45 years thanks to the pioneering efforts of Norma Barkman and those that followed, his first exposure was closer to three decades ago.

“I walked through the doors and was immediately inspired, challenged to work hard, to collaborate, to push my limits, to strive for something greater,” he said.

The voice lessons that he began taking in 1994 would pave the way for Klassen in future endeavors, coming full circle to his current position.

Klassen joined SAC in 2019, at the time one of the three largest rural arts councils in western Canada.

Growth has continued and Klassen said that’s thanks to incredible partnerships.

“Together with an incredible board of directors, our sponsors, donors, volunteers, we continue to transform our community and invest in the quality of life,” he said.

Today more than 140 arts programs are available.

And Klassen said SAC wants to continue keeping it accessible to everyone.

That means offering bursaries to many. More than 600 people have used those free classes in the last four years.

SAC has also added a student gallery, three bursary streams for those in need, and offers a home to private instructors who teach 125 students weekly.

Currently 10 staff, two preschool instructors, 45 contract instructors and eight summer students call the facility home.

“Just a few years ago we offered 60 programs and concerts with about 800 registrations and hundreds of people on the wait list,” he said. “Today we’re at more than double those classes and close to 2,000 registrations annually.”

Klassen said the centre is an important part of people’s lives.

He shared the story of Don Wiebe, an actor in their production of Fiddler on the Roof.

The day of the performance, Wiebe contacted Klassen to tell him his house was on fire. He was calling to ensure they had a backup costume for him, as his was in his burning home.

Klassen said he told Wiebe not to worry about performing, but Wiebe was insistent.

“As I stood watching my house burn, I knew that if I needed people, it was my Steinbach Arts Council family I wanted to be with,” he said.

Klassen said it’s people like Wiebe who become family.

“They’re a part of our mission which is to create community through arts and culture,” he said.

But there’s more Klassen said they’d like to do.

That includes creating an adopt a piano program to get instruments into homes of people who can’t afford them, mentorships between student musicians and seasoned veterans, more performances, art and music therapy, free seniors program, additional bursaries for families in need, a larger gallery and retail space and more classrooms.

The alternative to holding back on expanding is dire.

“We lose the ability to keep up,” he said. “We go back to taking waiting lists for classes and for concerts and leaving many people, many kids out.”

That approach of continuing to grow has worked well.

Gone are the days that SAC measures themselves by how they rank against the rest of Western Canada.

Of 140 national organizations that do the same work, Klassen said they are now in the top 10 percent across the entire country.

“We are only slightly behind places like North Vancouver, Mississauga and London, Ontario or the entire organization of Saskatchewan arts councils which represent 80 communities,” he said.

He made a plea for more support from the community.

“It’s not just about dollars, but yes, it’s about dollars,” he said. “But it’s also about contributing to a healthy community that benefits everyone in this room in some way.”