It is perhaps of no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has put most Canadian arts centres in a precarious position. Nevertheless, for the Steinbach Arts Council (SAC), 2020 has been a year of pleasant surprises.

The performative arts ground to a sudden and entirely unexpected halt in early March. Only three days after their hit production “Lend Me A Tenor” filled the local theatre with large roaring audiences, SAC bolted their doors to visitors as the fear of the novel coronavirus crept into everyday life. For local artists, things have not been the same since… and they might not ever be.

have managed to do it fairly smoothly.”

Klassen says the flexibility of local artists is something he will forever appreciate, stressing it was certainly key to surviving 2020.

Most SAC teachers had to transform and adapt their content to continue offering their programs virtually this year.

“I have colleagues across the country who have closed their art centres and do not know if they will be opening this coming fall,” adds Director of Development Cindi Rempel Patrick, who says the comparative success of Steinbach’s arts scene is certainly worth noting.

While the Steinbach Arts Council faced the same general adversity as those across Manitoba and Canada during COVID-19, Rempel Patrick says the generous city it is based in has made a massive difference.

If watching artists adapt to the changes thrust upon them was Klassen’s highlight, then Rempel Patrick’s highlight was watching the people of Steinbach remain engaged. Nowhere was that ongoing engagement more clear than in SAC's fundraising efforts.

When COVID-19 forced the cancellation of their main musical production and annual fundraising gala, SAC turned to their Corks and Canvas event of wine tasting and fine arts to bolster their bank account. It seems the City of Steinbach did not disappoint. The fundraiser, though held virtually, hauled in three times its usual dollar value in donations.

Rempel Patrick notes SAC also pioneered a few other ways of generating revenue this year including a new membership campaign and the “Buy or Lease Print Program” which sees the paintings and photographs of local artists hanging in homes and businesses around Steinbach.

On the subject of finances, Rempel Patrick says COVID-19 also allowed for some unique grant opportunities.

“We were fortunate to fall into the category of receiving many grants through the Covid relief funds both federally and provincially, she says and we were also able to secure some new grants because of our new technical needs.”

A restructuring of the management team at SAC this year added two new board members and gave both Rempel Patrick and Klassen redefined roles to better serve and support Steinbach artists. The directors agree that stepping into positions that catered to their strengths was also a highlight.