2024 Annual Report Draft

Cultural organizations The City of Courtenay owns and maintains three major cultural facilities downtown, including the Sid Williams Theatre, Courtenay and District Museum and Paleontology Centre, and the Comox Valley Centre for the Arts. The City has agreements with the cultural organizations that occupy the facilities, each with their own non-profit societies and board of directors. Through these agreements, the organizations receive operating and management grant funding in return for the delivery of core arts and culture services on behalf of the City. Renewed agreement supports Sid Williams theatre and facility upgrades The City of Courtenay renewed its five-year License to Occupy and Grant Agreement with the Sid Williams Theatre Society (SWTS) for the management and operation of the community and professional live performance theatre. The Sid Williams Civic Theatre has been serving the Comox Valley as a performing arts facility for over 25 years, with professional administration since 1992. Serving the Comox Valley region since 1971, the Sid Williams Theatre is a 500-seat performing arts venue that plays a vital role in the cultural and economic life of the community. The theatre balances multiple functions, acting as a performance space for community groups, a professional venue for commercial events and an arts presenter offering a curated season of select performances. The City continues to provide both in-kind and financial support to ensure its sustainability. In the fall of 2024, SWTS completed a major lighting grid upgrade, valued at over $500,000. This improvement enhances safety for theatre staff performing lighting changeovers and expands the technical capabilities of theatre productions by allowing for more complex lighting plots. The City of Courtenay contributed $100,000 in grant funding toward this project.

As non-profits, the cultural societies then leverage City funding in order to expand their reach and programming to meet the needs of Courtenay residents and visitors, enabling them to maintain their role as anchors within the City’s downtown cultural hub. In 2024, agreements with Comox Valley Art Gallery (CVAG), Sid Williams Theatre and Comox Valley Arts Council were all renewed or extended, reflecting the signficiant value and role they each play in the community.

Sid Williams Theatre Live performances Virtual performances Rehearsals, workshops, recording sessions

161

2

69

"Front door" public attendance

44,197 11,077 1,500+

"Stage door" performer/cast attendance

Virtual event viewers

Volunteer hours Superstar tickets

6,305

551

City of Courtenay | 2024 Annual Report

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