COVID-19-prompted cancellations have hit the local art scene hard.

Steinbach Arts Council Creative Director Cindy Rempel Patrick says, in her 25 years with the organization, a total shutdown of their centre has never been necessary. The board’s decision to close was emotional.

“We are very passionate about what we do and what we create and to have that cease is quite an empty feeling,” she comments, “and as artists, we don’t cope well with those empty feelings.”

Rempel Patrick says the centre’s regular programming brings in around 1,000 people per week and to see all of that creative energy suddenly stop is hard to stomach. After deliberating on what social distancing would look like for the organization the board decided to vacate the building entirely: visitors, artists, and staff alike. As of Friday, the SAC will be devoid of people.

“Nobody is even going to be walking in the centre for the next three weeks,” states Rempel Patrick, "in all of the years I have been here I have never felt that desolation."

A total program shutdown has also had substantial ramifications for this year’s big theatrical production. The 60-person team of actors and stagehands that have been rehearsing for “The Music Man” were told on Tuesday that their play had been canceled indefinitely. Director David Klassen says that decision too was a punch to the gut.

“These particular productions are a huge part of building community. When that gets pulled out from under your feet, it is really devastating.”

By Klassen’s best estimate, hundreds of hours had already been put into choreography and set design. Now, all of that effort may have been for naught. While there is no rain date for The Music Man and it may very well be dead, Klassen has hope that the project will be resuscitated once the pandemic subsides.

“We’ve gone so far, so much work has been done, if we decide to move forward with this when we can, I think people would be super excited.”

As much as art is a way of bettering the community, both Klassen and Rempel Patrick agree that the best thing for the community right now is pursuing public health and safety.

“Us making a wise decision about the well-being of the larger community is just that much more of a demonstration that we are working for the greater good of our city.”