MJ Cultural Centre Dream Team Brings New Vision
It’s a new day and new hope for positive changes at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre with the recent announcement of their management ‘dream team.’ Colleen Patterson, Chair of the Board for Moose Jaw Cultural Centre said they are promoting a whole new relationship.
“This new beginning means a new emphasis on the Cultural Centre and what it means to Moose Jaw.”
- Derik Cronan, new General Manager
Derik Cronan has been appointed as the new General Manager to oversee general operations of the facility; Eric La France continues in the capacity as Production Manager in his 13th year with the Cultural Centre, and Mike Nickel will continue to be public liason as Front of House Manager. All three come with their strengths and management expertise, focused on a single vision to make the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre community friendly.
“They are young, vibrant and energetic,” said Patterson.
New GM Derik Cronan sees change coming. “We definitely want to open up the facility and make it more welcoming.” With a number of things to draw in the public at the Cultural Centre is a new pottery studio upstairs, ‘Mud Pie Girls’ who are now selling their pottery and works of art out of their studio space. There are also a couple other spaces appropriate for artist studios. “We are even looking at possibly having an ‘Artist in Residence,’” he said. The objective is for the public to know that they are welcome to drop by the Cultural Centre and feel welcome there, to attend the shows at the Mae Wilson Theatre, view exhibitions in the gallery, as well as see what else the facility has to offer. The upstairs is not off-limits. There are board rooms for rent for office meetings, etc., and the facility itself can be rented out for special occasions and events.
“We want to have more community involvement and we are hoping to develop strategies around that,” said Cronan. Through operational challenges in the past, a large part of it was because most people felt the building was closed off and not open to the public.
From the perspective of the board, “This new beginning means a new emphasis on the Cultural Centre and what it means to Moose Jaw. We would like Moose Jaw arts groups and other groups to feel welcome here.” Although Ru-Barb Productions Inc. houses themselves within the structure of the Cultural Centre and is a welcomed entity, “they provide a lot of cultural experience but they are only a part of what the cultural centre is and can be.”
Another positive appointment is that of Carol Acton to the Board of Directors. As previous Executive Director of Hunger in Moose Jaw, she brings a wealth of experience with non-profits and “hopes to be of some use” in her capacity.
The sky is the limit within the scope of encouraging people to use the Cultural Centre as a city facility. The hope is that the dream team of younger management will assist in bringing more events and things that are of interest to the 30 – 40 age crowd to attend, as well as for all ages and genres of interest.