The Battlefords Cultural Community Consultation, in partnership with the Common Ground Collective and the Historic Opera House Restoration Project, held an opera house preview Dec. 4.
The event was an opportunity for both organizations to engage with the public and show off the (yet unfinished) opera house. The event was by invitation and specifically targeted some of the persons actively involved in the cultural community.
For the Opera House Restoration Project, the event served to kick start the consultation process surrounding the restoration and future of the historic opera house. The general public was able to see the space and give recommendations for future renovations. Because the project is being funded with grants from the federal government, the consultation process is especially important. Members of the artistic community weighed in on how they intended to use the space, what was necessary to include in the renovation and how much they intended to use it and what the opera house's role should be among the other cultural institutions in the Battlefords.
It was also an opportunity for the Opera House Restoration Project to call out for memories, photographs or other ephemera for what will eventually be a museum space. As only one photograph exists from the opera house, it is hoped the restoration process and creation of the museum will encourage those with memories and souvenirs of the opera house to come forward.
The community is also asked to contribute to the creation of 100 events for the 100th anniversary of the opera house, which is in 2012.
The event also allowed the Common Ground Collective, a newly formed artistic collective, to perform and present themselves as to the rest of the artistic community and the public. The event featured a wide variety of visual art, performance art and poetry from members of the collective.
In between performances, Mayor Chris Odishaw commented on the event and the Opera House Restoration Project.
"I'd like to thank Dean Bauche for coming into my office a few months ago. He came into my office and explained that we, in the town of Battleford, have this great asset here that has been saved. It's a great piece of history that has been saved, and I think it will be a big part of the future of our community."
Approximately 120 invitees intended. Nevertheless, the event is only the first stage of the community consultation process. As the restoration project moves forward, more events will be held to determine community interest in the project.
Anyone interested in Common Ground Collective or the Opera House Restoration Project can contact Dean Bauche, Kjelti Anderson and Safira Lachapelle at [email protected], or by phone at 937-7567, 445-8485, or 445-1588, respectively.
