Today, Mayor Gillingham announced the proposed recipients of the Downtown Arts Capital Fund. One of the recipients is the historic Pantages Theatre at 180 Market Avenue, alongside the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Opened in 1914, this historic building has served a variety of uses over its 110 year life-span, but has been empty since 2019. It is currently owned by the Performing Arts Consortium, who took over building responsibility in 1998 and ownership in 2019. This historic theatre received municipal heritage designation in 1981, and became a National Heritage Site in 1989, as one of the country’s few surviving Vaudeville theatres.

If the proposal is approved by City Council, the theatre will receive multi-year funding for a total of $837K. A feasibility study will commissioned to determine how to make the theatre a viable live performance space. Heritage Winnipeg’s Executive Director, Cindy Tugwell was quoted in a CBC article covering the story earlier today.

We are hopeful that this proposal will be approved by Councillors, and we are happy to seeing these funds from the city showing their support for this important historic site!

Read More:

CBC News – “Proposed arts funding in Winnipeg includes $837K for long-vacant Pantages Theatre”