MOOSE JAW — The Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture (MJCAC) has been fundamental in shaping the community’s artistic life for 20 years and plans to honour those accomplishments with a night of fun.
MJCAC — formerly the Cultural Centre — will mark two decades of memorable performances, artistic innovation and community engagement by hosting a free celebration on Saturday, Nov. 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be cake, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and musical entertainment by well-known Saskatchewan musician Jeffery Straker.
Organizers will give a 20-minute presentation in the Mae Wilson Theatre at 7:45 p.m. This will include showing a new promotional commercial and — potentially — an interview with Jared Robinson from Nebulous Entertainment about his efforts to help the venue re-brand.
Since its founding in 2004 as the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre, the venue has been a cornerstone of the arts and has captivated audiences with outstanding music while fostering a love for live theatre.
“We’re excited. It (organizing the celebration) was a group effort … . We were trying to figure out what we could that would be a really fun and accessible celebration for everybody,” said Sarah Simison, MJCAC’s executive director.
“So, we wanted to make it a free event to come in and check out the building.”
The MJCAC reaching 20 years is a testament to the “enduring power of music and theatre” and the unwavering support that patrons, artists and the community have offered over the decades, Simison said. This anniversary is not just about reflecting on past achievements but also about building up the next chapter of creativity and innovation while progressing with fresh ideas and people.
Straker is one of Saskatchewan’s most popular musicians and has been “a huge supporter” of the building and an ambassador for Moose Jaw, which is why organizers invited him to perform on a grand piano, she continued.
“He calls us the ‘Carnegie (Hall) of Saskatchewan,’ so I’m pretty honoured to hear someone refer to us that way because we’re so lucky to have a place like that here,” Simison added.
The MJCAC/Cultural Centre’s “humble beginnings” began in 1913 when construction began on the Monarch Theatre, although that work paused when the First World War erupted in 1914. The Allen Theatre Company took over the project, altered the building’s design and opened the venue in 1916.
At the time, the Monarch Theatre was the largest in Saskatchewan and represented the zenith of the theatre business in Moose Jaw.
In 1922, the building was renamed “The Capitol” and started a long association with the Famous Players Theatre chain. The Former Capitol 3 Theatre was a hub of activity for entertainment and social life that offered movies and performing arts. Seven years later, it installed equipment to show “talking” pictures.
Famous Players sold the building in 1982, and from 1983 to 2001, it was a three-screen movie theatre that was no longer equipped for performing arts.
In 2003, the building went through an extensive restoration process before re-opening as the Mae Wilson Theatre in 2004, part of the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture. At that time, it was re-equipped to show performing arts.
“It’s been around a long time,” said Simison — she was present when the theatre celebrated its centennial in 1913 — while adding that the overall venue consists of the former Army and Navy Store, the theatre, and other former businesses.
In 1914, the Merchants Bank planned to construct a six-storey office block on High Street, but the war’s effects ended those plans. By 1918, the Merchants Bank commissioned the building as a temporary office, while it built a grander bank nearby.
Various retailers and professionals occupied the building until 1945 when the Army and Navy department store chain purchased it. In 2000, the chain withdrew from the city, and the former Army and Navy Store became part of the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture with the neighbouring Capitol Theatre building.
The main floor now houses the Visual Art Gallery, which features new exhibitions every six weeks and showcases visual and fine craft artists. Meanwhile, the second floor is home to office and studio spaces for artists and arts organizations.
From its humble beginnings, the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture has grown into a vibrant cultural institution, producing hundreds of productions and welcoming thousands of patrons, Simison added. Its commitment to fostering new talent, collaborating with community artists and delivering transformative theatre experiences have cemented its place in Moose Jaw’s cultural landscape.
For more information, visit www.moosejawculture.ca.
