Calgary’s performing arts venue is in financial difficulty and provincial funding cuts could put the popular entertainment venue in jeopardy of closing.
The EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts is home to many of the city’s artistic companies including Alberta Theatre Projects, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Theatre Calgary.
The centre has also hosted hundreds of artists, musicians, festivals, workshops and cultural events and is one of three major performing arts centres in Canada.
A group from the centre gave a 27-page presentation to a city committee on Wednesday morning.
The presentation outlined the importance of the arts in Calgary and then stated that after cutting their staff by 25 percent in 2010 everyone in the organization is overworked.
They say there is no cessation plan for staff or management and that major systems in the facility need to be replaced.
The centre was built in 1985 and staff say that unless those aging systems are replaced, its ability to remain operational is at risk.
The presentation also says a recent decision by the Alberta government to discontinue funding for the EPCOR CENTRE puts the operational sustainability of the arts centre in jeopardy.
The centre is branded with the EPCOR name but the contract expired in 2010 and the decision was made to leave the name on the building as it was cheaper than removing it.
The performing arts centre is looking for a new brand sponsor.
(With files from Kevin Green)
