EDITORIAL: Arts and culture key to Steinbach’s ongoing success

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/05/2024 (472 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you’re a regular reader of The Carillon, you’ll notice we use space and ink on a weekly basis to tell you stories from the arts community.

They could be photos and stories about individual performers, songwriters, or authors, or they could involve one of many local arts disciplines or organizations.

We do that for one simple reason.

They are stories our readers want to know about and they’re important to the community. In fact, it’s the arts and culture in any community that really defines it.

When one considers the success of any community, a default is often to look at the business leaders and politicians. Steinbach is an example of that.

Our history would not be told properly if we did not tell the stories of so many of our former and current business owners, as well as those who’ve stepped up to lead our community politically. There’s no doubt that they have done plenty to make Steinbach what it is today.

But if we are to be honest about what really makes a community shine, it all goes back to the arts.

That’s not a controversial viewpoint of course. Steinbach Arts Council reports that at their annual gala they raised more than $40,000. That shows that many in the community value the arts.

After all, why else would business owners and those with higher incomes take the time to attend such an event while bidding sometimes exorbitant amounts on various auction items and giving big to the organization.

We also see this in attendance support.

It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s a school or community production, seats are often sold out in advance.

And those dedicated to the arts in Steinbach have continued to improve the offerings available. We can sample nearly any kind of music on stage at some point during a calendar year.

Looking Glass Theatre’s announcement of their first full season also demonstrates that theatre is continuing to grow in popularity.

Yet something is missing.

Steinbach has a wealth of facilities that can host various events.

The number of churches alone that could lend their stage is impressive.

But we’re lacking a purpose-built theatre/concert venue.

For the third largest city in Manitoba this is an embarrassment.

As the nearly $70 million Southeast Event Centre rises from the ground, we seem to have made no plans for a comparable facility for our arts community.

The dream would be to have something that housed Steinbach Arts Council in a complex that also includes a large performing arts centre, a signature home for the arts that would draw people to Steinbach from far and wide.

We have one of the largest community arts councils in Canada. We have long been a city rich in culture. Why don’t we showcase it?

It’s something that can be done and has been done on various scales throughout the province.

Cities and even towns much smaller than Steinbach have discovered how to make it work.

Sometimes they partner with private entities, like businesses or private schools. Other times they rely on years of fundraising and generous donors to make it happen.

It’s true Steinbach needed a new facility like the Southeast Event Centre, and it will be something to be proud of, to befit our stature as the third largest city in Manitoba.

While there are other projects on the wish list, such as an indoor soccer facility, it may be time our focus changes.

Winkler has had a concert venue for years after they retrofitted an old church. Morden has one as well in the shape of the historic Kenmor Theatre.

Even the tiny village of Gretna, population 510 in the 2021 census has Buhler Hall, built as an addition to the Mennonite Collegiate Institute.

It was interesting to see Looking Glass Theatre double down on their dream to build some kind of theatre in Steinbach. The dream since they first formed, they determined that if they draw 200 people to each performance, they’ll know it’s time to start the process.

It’s clear that if our leaders in the community don’t act, the community will act without them.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we expect an entire facility to be built with city taxes.

Support will need to come from all levels of community.

But it’s clear that support is out there.

The Community Foundations of Canada said this about arts and culture.

“Arts and culture make communities better places to live. They help define who we are, how we relate to one another and how we feel about ourselves and our communities. Whether on stage, in the audience or in the community, our research shows that participation in the arts fosters a greater sense of belonging.”

It is well past time that Steinbach recognizes that participation in the arts is already an important aspect of community life. It’s time we as a city do something to showcase it.