Performing Arts Centre going through a quiet evolution that has much more small group involvement that most people realized.

By Pepper Parr

BURLINGTON, ON.

January 8, 2014

Brian McCurdy has a big job ahead of him for 2014 – and that is dispelling a bunch of myths that have grown up around the Performing Arts Centre.

The public talks about the budget problems, they talk about the acts that come to the city with little understanding or appreciation for how the entertainment business operates.  Burlington is a small market that is not high on the list of prime venues for the groups that put together a tour across the province or the country.  The Copps Coliseum fits into that category – Burlington has to fit in with a bigger picture.

More than 165 non-profit groups use the space. The first myth he wants to dispel is that non-profit groups are not using the Performing Arts Centre. “We have had more than 165 non-profit groups use the space.  Their use doesn’t appear on the Centre’s web site so people don’t see the activity and other than the people involved and attending – most people don’t know what takes place.

The Centre wasn’t telling its story and if you don’t blow your own horn – no one gets to hear your music.

The Centre recently held a Poetry Slam which was certainly new to this city.  Later this month there will be a short film festival.  Unfortunately with just 12 days before the event no one has learned what the film offerings are going to be.

You could probably get space at the Performing Arts Centre on a Monday or a Tuesday evening – other than that the place is pretty heavily booked.  Turning a profit?  Not yet – it wasn’t supposed to.

McCurdy, who brought years of experience with him to Burlington when he drove up the 401 from Kingston, has a sense of the dynamics he has to work with and has settled into his new gig.

He has a consultant working up some data that will get shaped into a Strategic Plan.  Brian Arnott, a cultural consultant who was in town doing some work for the Burlington Arts Centre (BAC),  stayed a little longer and did a number of one-on-one interviews with people to get a sense as to what the community wanted and didn’t want and what the issues were when it came to the Performing Arts Centre and culture and the city.

McCurdy arrived in Burlington at a point in time when the cultural community began to show itself.  One of the first inklings that they even existed was when Trevor Copp delegated to city council and said he resented having to drive into Toronto to practice his craft and make a living.  He wanted to see a change.

At about the same time the city was  getting the early draft of the Cultural Discussion report Jeremy Freiburger had put together.

Angela Papariza, started work with the city as a Parks and Recreation Planner bur has been shifted to a Cultural Planner; part of the city’s plan to create more cultural presence at city hall.  Trevor Copp, on the right, shook up city hall when he told council he wanted to be able to ply his trade in Burlington and went on to be part of creating the Arts and Culture Collective that lobbys at city hall.

Copp was not prepared to stop with a delegation to council.  He, along with others, called a meeting and invited every arts person they could think of – 20+ people showed up.  That resulted in a second meeting that brought 125 people to a meeting and Burlington’s Arts and Culture Collective was born and the city began to hear from a focused voice.

As the city moved from the report Freiburger had prepared into the creation of a Cultural Action Plan the Collective improved its organization and pushed to get a seat at the table where the decisions were being made.

The city is now working up a Cultural Action implementation plan that will be part of the 2014 budget deliberations and there is now representation from the artists.

McCurdy has three small white boards on his office wall that set out what’s coming to town and there aren’t a lot of open spaces.  You can book a Monday or a Tuesday but there isn’t much more than that available stretching into 2015 – which is the point where McCurdy thinks he might be able to get by on a little less than the more than THE  $500,000 subsidy that comes from the taxpayers.

Brian McCurdy is kind of pleased with the bookings he has for the Centre.

What the public is seeing under McCurdy’s had is much more community use of the space.  Last week the first ever Ontario wide Poetry Slam took place at the Performing Arts Centre.  Except for a very small, select group of people, Burlingtonians didn’t even know what A Poetry Slam was.

Next week a free dance workshop will take place at the Centre.  Nova Bhattacharya will use lecture and demonstration to take participants on a journey through dance from the classical Indian style and demonstrate how it has evolved into contemporary dance with a South Asian sensibility.

Later the same day she will be offering a 90 minute master class to those interested in learning the basics of bharatanatyam.  That’s another cultural phrase that hasn’t exactly rung in the ears of the city’s cultural community.

The basics of bharatanatyam will be taught at the Performing Arts Centre.

The dance class is part of the Performing Arts Centre’s outreach is funded by an Ontario Arts Council grant and delivered by the  KooGle Theatre Company.

The Performing Arts Centre went through a bit of a bumpy start.  The Theatre Burlington Board which provides oversight of the Centre beefed up its membership and added some needed talent; they actually have a working musician on the board – in the past that board has been made up of people with a financial background. The Board along with some senior staff have taken part in two retreats where they looked at everything.

The Centre did part ways with the first Executive Director and brought in Brian McCurdy.  If the funding plans that are being worked over at city hall actually get through city council, 2014 could prove to be an interesting year for culture in this city.

However, Brian McCurdy is not depending on the city to keep his growth plans alive.  He intends to develop a membership program that will be part fund-raiser and part developing the depth of the cultural community in the city.  Membership will include priority seating, a pre-purchase program and opportunities to meet some of the performing artists in a social setting.

McCurdy has some thoughts on corporate sponsorship as well.  His management style is quiet, he develops relationships over time so don’t expect much in the way of flash from this guy.  Do expect significant solid ideas and plans he actually delivers on.

Background:

BPAC board gets beefed up.

It was certainly a different program: Ten Rooms.

Artists showing at the Seaton Gallery

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1 comment to Performing Arts Centre going through a quiet evolution that has much more small group involvement that most people realized.

  • Kathy

    Sounds like things are moving along quite well. Now get the word out and publicize the performance of the centre, and get some excitement built up to continue with future success, and maybe get back into the black. Good news story. Maybe the city can use McCurdy to work with its economic development office.