
Dear Friend of the Artesian,
My name is Dana Rempel, and I am the Managing Director of Artesian Performing Arts. It has been a wild ride the last few years, and we are so grateful to be able to present great live art in our community once again.
Due to the support of a few great institutions and generous community members, we used the time the venue spent empty over the last few years making upgrades to our space! In 2018, we received funding through FCC’s Regina Spirit Fund to update our curtains. Finally in the winter of 2021 we were able to make that project happen. Maybe you’ve seen the new curtains at a recent show! The space looks better than ever and each show we’ve done here since installing the new curtains has proven what a great investment this was.
Another exciting thing happened over the last couple years. In both 2021 and 2022 we were approved for funding through the City of Regina’s Community Investment Grant Program to upgrade our aging lighting and sound equipment. If you know and love the Artesian the way I think you do, you probably think of it as a great looking and great sounding room that has always been able to do a lot with very little. Our original tech gear is emblematic of just that. Most of our lighting equipment was purchased well used when the venue was renovated between 2009 and 2011, with some minor upgrades from our friends at the University of Regina and the Globe Theatre Society over the years. It had served us well, but the equipment was limited in its functionality, increasingly expensive to operate, and in many cases nearly impossible to repair and maintain. New lighting has made a massive difference in the way you as a patron experience events at the Artesian as well as how effectively we are able to operate events. The sound system was purchased at the same time, with as much or more use and even less updates since then. However, this year we were given the opportunity to upgrade much of that gear to state-of-the-art equipment that improves the experience at each event for artist and listener alike.
That being said, we need your help to make this fully come to life. The funding from the City of Regina, though generous, only funds about half of all the updates. Right now we are looking to raise $10,000 to match the city’s generous funding. That means that if you donate now, your donation is effectively doubled by the City of Regina! If you love the Artesian and are looking for a way to help a charitable non-profit arts organization in your community, please consider donating today. We issue charitable tax receipts for all donations over $20 and every contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a huge difference. If you want to solidify your commitment to the organization, we also have monthly and annual giving options via this link. Donate by clicking here.
If you are unable to contribute a donation today, there are still ways you can help. The more people who know about this campaign, the better chance we have of meeting our goal so please consider taking the time to talk to a friend, text a family member, forward this email, share our social media posts about the campaign, etc. Anything you can do to let more people know will go a long way.
The Artesian is one of the things that makes Regina a great city and I so miss being together with you in this space, feeling the electricity of community coursing through the crowd. With the support of our community, we will remain a fixture in the community for years to come. See you soon.
Sincerely,
Dana Rempel
Managing Director
Artesian Performing Arts