Growth, challenges, and community arts expansion at Steinbach Arts Council

Steinbach Arts Council held its annual general meeting on Sept. 10 and executive director David Klassen said it was “a banner year” with people accessing programming that is expanding into the community.

“We’re reaching more people,” said Klassen. “Our bursaries are expanding we’re able to continue running free programs really without limitation of imagination. So we’re excited to get more involved in that sort of thing.”

SAC announced it had grown its revenue by about $10,000 hitting $1.06 million last year. Klassen said it was largely due to donations and sponsorships nearly doubling in the past two years. Financials show development income at $288,537; grants at $281,926; and art instruction income at $231,832.

Operating expenses were largely taken by salaries and wages which topped up at $493,930; art instruction expenses $111,831; development expenses $104,118; and rent and leases $114,466. The annual report showed a deficit of $25,189.

Klassen said the biggest challenge to the organization is space. Recently, SAC started offering some of its arts workshops in various locations in the city as there was a lack of available space at the Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre.

The lease for SAC is up in 2027 and Klassen said so far the board is not looking to set up shop in a bigger building with more space.

Registrations were up past pre-COVID levels from about 900 to the present amount of 2,000, which Klassen cites as a result of the merger with the Southeastern Manitoba Festival and a “craving for recreation of this sort.”

The organization currently has 1,100 active memberships from families and individuals.

Changes at SAC involved expanding visual arts classes, growing after school arts programs, and growing performing arts programs, language programs, and wellness programs.

“On top of that, not necessarily related to membership, but there is a growing community of arts and culture groups, theater groups and other communities that rely on this building as a resource. We provide affordable rental space, and that is growing as well. So, all of all of those things add to a really unique and full list of classes that we’re able to offer,” said Klassen.

The executive director noted that according to the Canada Revenue Agency, SAC ranks on “the top 10 percent of similar arts councils nationwide comparable in scope to councils in Mississauga (pop. 800,000) and London, Ontario (pop. 600,000).”

“We’re in a group of 13 at the top 10 percent. So, there’s approximately 130 organizations that would run similar programming that would be called a service providing arts council.”

Looking to the future, Klassen said SAC is looking at offering art and music therapy classes.

“We love thinking creatively what’s going ahead. We have dreams of building programs that venture into the therapeutic arts that allow people to be more emotionally expressive and supported through arts forms.

“So, music therapy and art therapy are things that we dream about and we think are very valuable to the to the health and wellbeing of our community and kids,” he said.

A new executive was named during the meeting which saw Taylor Brandt as chair, Geoff Dilts as vice chair, Patrick Friesen as secretary, Meaghan Esau as finance chair, and as directors Kevin Froese and Marissa Wiebe.

Chris Winkler was awarded SAC’s Member of the Year Award for his involvement with SAC productions, his volunteerism, and participation in programing.