Dekker Centre General Manager Kali Weber makes her presentation at North Battleford council Monday. She asked the city to continue its support and waive a $2 ticket fee for fundraising events for the non-profit. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff).

By Angela Brown

In the chambers

Dekker Centre asks city to waive $2 ticket fee for events aimed at fundraising

Nov 26, 2019 | 4:03 PM

The Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts made a pitch to North Battleford lawmakers Monday asking for continued funding in the city’s budget for 2020 as well as a remittance exemption for its fundraising events so they can be more successful.

Dekker Centre General Manager Kali Weber gave a presentation to council highlighting the community non-profit organization’s efforts to be sustainable and reduce its financial deficit.

The organization is requesting the city continue to provide the same level of support of $235,000 in the form of an operating grant the organization also requested in 2018 and 2019.

Weber also asked for a special occasion exemption for the centre from its lease agreement with the city. Currently, the organization remits $2 to the city from every ticket sold, for every event the Dekker Centre hosts. And, from non-ticketed events it remits $2 for every person attending the theatre, for example during dance festivals or various recitals.

As part of its new request, the organization is asking that all of its fundraising ticketed events be excluded from the $2 remittance policy.

FSIN

Chief Bobby Cameron re-elected for fourth term as FSIN Chief

1h ago

Battleford Municipal Election

Laing seeks fourth term on Battleford Council

2h ago

Softball Sask Hall of Fame

'I just wanted to give back': Local softball legend gets rewarded for her years of dedication

4h ago

“My request comes from numerous organizational and strategic changes that the Dekker Centre has made, goals that have been set and reached, and goals for our organization in the future,” Weber said.

She noted the organization previously started a fundraising task force to reduce its financial deficit.

As a result, in the 2019-2020 season it introduced three new fundraising events: a week-long fundraising campaign in which businesses and community members were asked to donate $100 each that proved a success. It also started a Saturday Morning Cartoons family-friendly fundraiser, with an upcoming event featuring Christmas Cartoons planned for Dec. 7. The third fundraiser called Battlefords Shines is an annual showcase of local talent, featuring various art forms, with tickets at $75 each.

Weber said as the $2 ticketing remittance would be excluded from all ticketed fundraising events if it were approved, that would include the Saturday Morning Cartoons and Battlefords Shines events.

Weber showed she made progress to achieve the directives outlined by the board since taking on her position.

The centre saw a 134 per cent increase in ticket sales from June to October 2019, including two sold-out shows so far in the current season.

“We have seen a massive increase in ticket sales, particularly in single-ticket buyers, compared to last year,” Weber said.

The centre has also introduced new programming for children and families, and helped bring in a more younger demographic.

Weber said the goal for the centre is “to have a show for everybody.”

She said the Dekker has also managed to increase its funding. The centre just received a $15,000 community grant from the RBC Future Launch, with the Battlefords and District Community Foundation, to create the Dekker Centre Young People’s Ensemble.

The centre has also been accepted as a 2019/20 participant of artsVest – a national business-arts mentorship training program. With this training, Weber said, the centre hopes to secure a season of title-sponsorship for 2020-2021 of $25,000, so it can put $1,500 of additional funding into each show for that season.

North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater said he was impressed to see the organization making progress in reaching its objectives.

“There are some encouraging statistics coming out of the Dekker Centre, in terms of community engagement and participation, attending programming and shows, and introducing new programming,” he said. “There is, of course, a budgetary-ask and council will have to consider that.”

Bater said this will be decided during the city’s upcoming budget deliberation process.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW