Theatre Projects Manitoba, 2019 Connecting Creative Communities Prize

Claire Terese Friesen performing on the grounds of the historic Fagriskogur House in Riverton/New Iceland.

Theatre Projects Manitoba has been awarded the Connecting Creative Communities Prize, one of the Manitoba Arts Council’s 2019 Prizes in the Arts, for their work in the Interlake Chautauqua Tour. This is a $ 10,000 prize awarded every other year to a professional arts groups and organizations in recognition of its exceptional collaboration.

“The Chautauqua Tour was a massive, visionary, and risky undertaking. TPM created something original and thoughtful, while building respectful community connections and relationships. Interlake artists and community members participated alongside Chautauquay tour facilitators to explore and celebrate a mutual interest in the development of the arts in rural Mb. This project truly embodied the heart and soul of community connections.”
– Patricia & Merle Klyne (nominators)

Local Historian Joel Friðfinnsson and a multi-disciplinary team of artists on a Historical Tour with Art at the Nes Cemetery in New Iceland. (Photo: Ardith Boxall)

Claire Terese Friesen playing to a capacity crowd in the Gunton Greenwood Community Hall prior to a performance of Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte. (Photo credit: Ardith Boxall)

Theatre Projects Manitoba

Theatre Projects Manitoba (TPM) was founded in 1990 as an artist-driven organization and a theatre-at-large, using a variety of venues for performance locations. TPM has premiered more than 50 works by local playwrights, and given important early experience to scores of designers, actors and other professionals. It has premiered the work of many Manitoba playwrights who have since gained national and international reputations.

TPM’s objectives are twofold: To develop and produce theatre that illuminates the human condition as well as to provide challenging opportunities for the growth of the artists of this region.

In the Fall of 2018, TPM spent a month conducting one-week long residencies in four Interlake communities. Living and creating in Manitoba’s Interlake region, the company completed a traveling Chautauqua with 8 artists, a full theatre production, 4 musicians, and over 250 hours of arts engagement. The programming in each week was built with the community, for the community.