Letter from Pacific Opera Victoria Re: Performing Arts Facilities Service

RE: Performing Arts Facilities Service

On behalf of Pacific Opera Victoria and in partnership with arts organizations across the region, we want to thank you and your Council for your leadership and vision in supporting the development of a more equitable and sustainable regional performing arts infrastructure.

At the July 9 Capital Regional District (CRD) Board meeting, the motion to direct staff to draft an establishing bylaw and service plan for a new performing arts facilities service - based on Nordicity's primary recommendation (Option C), with the inclusion of the Southern Gulf Islands - was a meaningful step forward. We know your support helped make that possible.

This is more than a policy motion. It's a commitment to ensuring your residents have greater access to professional arts experiences—and to ensuring your local artists, educators, and community groups have a real chance to use the region's theatres without being priced out. The model being considered offers tangible benefits to your constituents:

• Lower barriers to access through a Theatre Rental Grant program - enabling school groups, local presenters, and non-profits in your municipality to afford professional stages like the Royal, McPherson, and Charlie White.
• More shows, more impact - Nordicity's analysis suggests this initiative could result in up to 80 additional performances annually, with cultural, educational, and economic ripple effects felt across the region.
• Regional fairness - By sharing the cost of venues that already serve the entire CRD, we can unlock their full potential and reduce pressure on the handful of municipalities that have shouldered this burden alone.
• Support for the West Shore and beyond - The inclusion of Planning Grants paves the way for new facilities in underserved communities, such as the long-envisioned West Shore arts centre.

Ultimately, this initiative reflects how our communities actually experience the arts - across municipal boundaries, with shared audiences, shared presenters, and shared aspirations. We are confident that a modest investment from each participating municipality will yield lasting returns for all.

Thank you again for your support to date. We hope we can continue to count on your leadership as this process moves forward.

With gratitude,

Ian Rye Chief Executive Officer

Margot McLaren Moore President