New model for city arts facilities will boost arts & culture, drive economic growth in Kitchener

The City of Kitchener is taking on a new leadership role to support city-owned performing arts and entertainment facilities – including Centre in the Square, The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium (The Aud), The Registry Theatre and The Conrad Centre for the Performing arts – to enhance the arts and entertainment sector in Kitchener.

A new City of Kitchener led centralized service model will lead to new opportunities for venue operators and the broader community over time, including:

• increasing the quantity and quality of live arts and entertainment events in Kitchener;
• improving customer experiences;
• boosting event promotion and attracting larger audiences;
• improving service to prospective event promoters; and
• supporting venue operators and artists through City resources and programs.

“Since the establishment of our initial Economic Development Investment Fund and the first Make It Kitchener strategy, the City has pioneered the approach of simultaneously advancing business growth and fostering a vibrant, urban culture,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “In Kitchener, we’re not just talking about building a vibrant arts and culture scene, we’re actively making it happen. Not only will this help make Kitchener a great place to live for our residents, but it will also benefit visitors and artists, and it will serve as a powerful economic driver for many years to come.”

Key functions of the Kitchener’s arts and entertainment facilities will be centralized to better support facility operators. This will include:

• Marketing and audience development (brand strategy, collaborative event bids, etc.)
• Business services (shared ticketing platform and events calendar, contract development, etc.)
• Operational support (managing capital assets, developing shared policies, etc.)

“Emerging from the pandemic, the City is committed to breathing new life and vibrancy into our community through our arts, culture and entertainment sectors,” said Ward 7 Councillor and Centre in the Square board member, Bil Ioannidis “As the owner of the four most significant performing arts and entertainment venues in our community, including the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts which was donated by the Conrad family to the City in 2021, the opportunity to really put Kitchener on the map for arts, culture and live entertainment is now.”

Together with our arts, culture and entertainment sector partners, the City is looking to maximize use of all facilities for the benefit of our entire community. The City of Kitchener is making this work a priority by forming a new Culture and Entertainment team that will also include the City's special events staff and arts and creative industries staff. Residing within the City's Economic Development area, this team will ensure Kitchener stays focused on supporting the growth and development of our culture and entertainment industries for years to come.

Once fully developed, this new model will translate into better audience experiences, from accessing centralized online ticket sales, to enjoying more exciting and varied performances.

"Vibrancy is built by creating great experiences like community festivals, awesome concerts and live theatre productions for residents and visitors to enjoy,” said Ward 2 Councillor and Arts and Culture Advisory Committee member, Dave Schnider. “This new model will help strengthen what we're already doing to make Kitchener even more vibrant.”

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For more information, contact:
Shawn Falcao
Manager, Corporate Communications
shawn.falcao@kitchener.ca